What the Heart Knows
by secretscribe89
Summary: Picks up about a year after the conclusion of "Follow Your Heart". The Davis family faces many new challenges prompting them to work through their own insecurities and over come the past.
1. Happy Birthday!

**A/N: Hi everyone. This first chapter has been sitting in a file on my computer for a while now waiting for me to find some direction for the rest of the story. I think I might have finally figured out where I want it to go, so now i'm ready to share. I hope I will be able to incorporate a lot of answers to the many questions that were raised in part one of this story, and also bring about some new drama and story for part two. :) **

**I haven't read this over too carefully, so excuse any errors. **

**We pick up a little over a year from the conclusion of part one. Oh, and I hope Danny isn't too hard to "understand" for anyone. He has a little speech impediment ;) **

**As always, let me know what you think! :) **

**Chapter One**: Happy Birthday!

_"Go ahead… go in!" _

Alexis looked up from her desk at the sound of her daughter's soft voice outside of the door. As she removed her glasses, a pair of wide blue eyes appeared through the crack, immediately bringing a smile to her face.

"Go in, silly!" Sam laughed as she nudged Danny into the office, a bundle of balloons trailing high above him.

"Happy Buhffday, Gwamma!" Danny smiled brightly, standing proud.

"What a surprise!" Alexis enthused as she rose from her desk and walked to the front to meet them. "Come here!" She kneeled in front of Danny, outstretching her arms to which his jumped inside for a big hug.

"Dese ahw foh you!" He held out his hand that was holding tightly to the bundle of strings.

"Thank you, my love." She smiles as she took them from him, "Did you hold all of these balloons yourself?" He nodded. "And you didn't blow away?"

"No!" Danny smiled proudly, "I stwong!"

"You _are_ strong!" Kissing his head, she then stood up from the floor, smiling to her eldest daughter, "Hi, sweetheart."

"Happy birthday, mom." Sam smiled as she brought out a small pot of flowers from behind her back, "I know it isn't much…"

"Oh, they are beautiful!" Alexis admired them, before taking her daughter into a hug, "Thank you so much."

"We bwinged cake too!" Danny announced from where he now was spinning as he sat in his grandmother's desk chair.

"You did?" Alexis questioned, turning with a raised brow to her daughter who revealed a small round birthday cake in her other hand. "Aw… thank you. That's so sweet." She kissed her daughter's forehead before heading to her desk with the flowers and balloons.

"One problem…" Sam looked around the room skeptically as she set the cake on the desk, "We have no utensils… or plates."

"Oh," Alexis laughed, "Well… lucky for you I have a collection. Thanks to take-out…"

"Time fuh cake?" Danny questioned as his grandmother came around the desk and finally stopped the spinning chair. His eyes widened as he looked up to meet her, "Whoa."

"Yeah, whoa. A little dizzy?" She chuckled as she retrieved plates and forks from her desk drawer.

"Yeah," Danny nodded, "We hab cake now?"

"Yes, we can have cake now." Sam reassured her son as she sliced a few pieces and dished them onto the three plates.

"Yayy!" Danny jumped off of the chair and scurried to the front of the desk where he looked curiously at the sweet treat, "Can I hab da fwowuh?"

"Well, I think the birthday girl should get the first choice…" Sam smiled to her mother, who rolled her eyes playfully.

"You can have the flower, honey." Alexis nodded to Danny who smiled sweetly.

"Mmmm! I yub da fwow-uhs!" His eyes were wide as saucers as his mother set his flower piece on the desk and he began to dig in.

"Honey, why don't you sit?" His grandmother pulled one of the large leather chairs up to the desk as he took his cake and walked around to his previously occupied chair.

"I yike dis one."

Alexis grimaced, watching as the cake teetered on the plate before Danny finally set it down on the desk in front of him. He could no sooner put a large bite in his mouth before going back to spinning.

"Na-ah…" Reaching out, she stopped the chair, prompting a signature scowl from Danny, "Just sit. Okay?"

"I yike spinning…" Watching her curiously, he attempted to pry her fingers from the chair, "Pweeze?"

"Daniel…" Sam warned as she sat down across from him with her own piece of cake as Danny sighed in defeat and went back to his own.

"Eat first. Spin later…" Alexis kissed his head before picking up her cake and joining her daughter on the other side of the desk.

"He doesn't need to spin at all…"

"Well it's a compromise." Alexis shrugged, enjoying her first bite.

"Really mom? What happened to, I'm your mother and I say so?"

"That doesn't work…"

"Coming from someone who lives by it…" Sam shook her head with a chuckle.

"Do as I say, not as I do." She shrugged. "This cake is delicious. Thank you both very much for bringing it. It's just what I needed to brighten my birthday."

"Well, that's good, because that's exactly what we wanted to do… huh Danny?"

"Yep," Danny nodded happily, now perched on his knees and twisting his lower body from side to side, "I picked-ed fowah bayoons!"

"I see that," Alexis chuckled, watching as Danny held up his four fingers.

"Yes, well, Danny insisted that you couldn't have any more or any less."

"Let me guess, four was the number on Sesame Street this morning?" Alexis raised a brow as Sam chuckled and nodded, bringing them both to laughter.

"What so funny?" Danny tilted hid head curiously as he held on to the edge of the desk, still twisting.

"You are!" his grandmother teased, shaking her head when he lowered his brow, "Just eat your flowers, silly boy."

"So, did you hear from Dad today?"

"I did…" Alexis smiled, she pointed to the corner of the room, "And I got that beautiful bouquet of roses delivered this morning."

"Aww…" Sam smiled, "They are gorgeous. But, I take it he isn't going to make it home tonight?"

"Sam, it's unreasonable to expect him to…"

"You're not the unreasonable one in this situation, mom…"

"I know that. But it isn't his fault."

"I know that too," Sam concedes. "I do know that. But, I don't know… I just feel like you should stand up for yourself a little bit more."

"That wouldn't help anything… it would only put your father in more of an impossible position. If we ever want Julie out of the picture, I have to give him enough space to take care of things."

"I think you've been doing just fine with that since he's been in New York for almost a month!"

"Sam, come on. What do you want me to do? Call him and beg him to come home and take me to dinner for my birthday?"

"No…," Sam sighs, setting her empty plate on the desk, "I just really think that it's unfair that the minute that stupid Julie comes calling, you get left in the dust…"

"No say stoop-ed, momma!" Danny scolds.

"I'm sorry, Danny. Won't happen again." Sam sighed after Danny went back to his cake.

"Listen, sweetheart. I really appreciate you being concerned about my feelings, but I'm really fine. I am just fine."

"Mom…"

"What?"

"Then why did Molly call me and say that you were sitting in the dark in the kitchen in the middle of the night last night?"

"Oh, I get it now…" Alexis nodded knowingly, picking up both of their plates and taking them to the garbage, "This wasn't just a sweet impromptu birthday cake surprise… this was a 'let's run damage control to keep mom from being depressed on her birthday…'"

"Hey! That's not fair. This certainly was not impromptu; this has been planned for weeks. Danny and I couldn't wait to surprise you for your birthday."

Alexis sighed at her daughter's pout, "I'm sorry… that was an overreaction. I really appreciate all of this. I'm sorry…"

"It's okay. But tell me why you were crying last night…"

"Sam, please… I wasn't crying!" She exclaimed, and then paused, "I'm fine. I really am… but, I will tell you one thing- I do miss you two…" Sam shrunk into her chair and a trace of guilt crossing her face.

"I know. We miss you too…"

"No you don't… you're just saying that."

"Mom…"

"What?" Alexis smiled.

"It's not like we moved to Nigeria. We are literally two miles from your house."

"I know," She looked over at Danny who was still happily chowing down on his cake, "It's just so quiet without you there… I get up in the middle of the night and Danny's room is empty… your room is empty."

"You used to check on me in the middle of the night?" Sam raised a brow.

"Yes… do you have a problem with that?"

"No…" She smiled, "No, I just never knew that you did that."

"Well, I did. And now I have much farther to travel in order to do that." She chuckled when her daughter's eyes widened, "Don't worry… I'm not stalking you."

"You could if you want…" She took her mother's hand, "You know you can come over whenever you want to, right?"

"I know… but you need your space. You and Danny, you have your own life now. Your own separate home." Alexis felt the tears stinging her eyes and she knew she couldn't let Sam know how much this recent change was really affecting her. She quickly stood up and moved to the desk, pulling some tissues from the box to clean Danny's cake covered face. The little boy met her eyes, studying her carefully.

As he placed his little hand on her face, she couldn't keep the tears from falling, "No cwy, gwamma. It okay."

"Oh, Danny…" Alexis chuckled a little, shaking her head to try and keep her emotions from escalating.

"Mom…" Sam stood up to move closer to her, "See, I knew you weren't okay!"

"I'm fine!" Alexis shook her head, crossing her arms as she rested against her desk, "It's just that… with Kristina in Greece, and you moving out and now Molly keeps waiting every day to hear from NYU. In a few months she will be gone…"

"Mom, you're not alone. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have been harping on the whole Dad and Julie thing. He will be back in no time." Sam rubbed her mother's back, "And who knows… maybe once this whole thing is over and the divorce is final… he can move in with you!"

"Why don't we take it once day at a time, hmm?" Alexis sniffled as she wiped away the rest of her tears. She wrapped an arm around her daughter, "I'm okay. Don't worry about me. I think I'm just overwhelmed, that's all."

"Well… you're about to be more overwhelmed tonight, so prepare yourself." Sam raised a mischievous brow.

"That's a very good overwhelmed, though!" Alexis smiled as Sam made her way back around the desk and began cleaning up the small mess from the cake, "Molly's baking a cake, you know. From scratch."

"Where did she come from?" Sam was baffled. Her sister definitely skipped out on the kitchen phobia gene.

"That Corinthos gene…" Alexis shook her head as Sam put the cover back on the cake and brought it over to the small refrigerator for safe-keeping. "Well, look at that… I have left over cake that I can eat all by myself!" She teased ruffling Danny's hair as he looked up at her curiously, "What?"

"You eat da cake?"

"Maybe I will!"

"Oh." Danny's face fell as he looked away before quickly being scooped into his grandmother's arms.

"But maybe I think I can probably share a little bit with a cute little blue-eyed boy…" She kissed his cheeks as he giggled, "But only if he comes to visit me!"

"She's going to see a lot of us today, huh?" Sam reminded, "But right now I think we should go because it's somebody's nap time…"

"Not ti-yud" Danny shook his head fiercely.

"I wouldn't doubt it after all of that sugar…"

"Well, listen," Alexis got his attention, "You take a good nap for mommy and then tonight you get to come over for a party and more cake!"

"Moh-wa?" Danny's eyes were wide and saucers.

"Yep! More! But only if you take a nap…"

"Yet's go!" Danny squirmed.

"Just a minute…I think you're forgetting something." Alexis looked at him curiously before he swiftly wrapped his arms around her neck.

"Yub you, gwamma."

"I love you two, sweetie." She smiled, closing her eyes and she hugged him tightly before they broke away and she set him on his feet.

"Okay," Sam took his hand, leaning down to his ear, "Tell her Happy Birthday again."

"Happy Buhffday!" Danny smiled sweetly from where he stood with his mom.

"Thank you so very much." Alexis met eyes with her daughter, "Both of you… it means the world to me that you came here today."

"I love you… see you tonight."

"See you tonight," She nodded, "Love you too…"

* * *

_"Happy Biiiiirthdayyyy toooo youuuuu!" _With Danny in her lap for reinforcement, together they blew out the candles bringing about cheers and applause from the group.

"Yay!" Danny clapped excitedly, "Mowah cake!"

Alexis laughed as the lights were turned back on, "Molly, this cake looks delicious. I can't believe you made it all by yourself."

"Thank you," Molly smiled as she worked to remove the candles and begin cutting the cake. "I have to say it wasn't entirely by myself though… I did have some help."

"Oh, did you?" Alexis glanced to Sonny who was smiling in the corner, "You called on your secret uncle weapon, huh?"

"Well… I couldn't really figure out the frosting thing… and it's a good thing I did call him because did you know there is a such thing as _whipping_ cream?"

"No…" Alexis' eyes were wide, "I know what whipped cream is…"

"Mom…" Sam rolled her eyes.

"Well, anyway. I was almost going to use the entirely wrong thing but Uncle Sonny saved the day."

"Isn't that wonderful." Alexis smiled cheekily as Sonny simply shrugged in his humble, not so humble way. She noticed Sam looking out the window, "Sam?" no response, "You got a hot date?"

"Huh?" Sam swiftly turned in her mother's direction, "What? No… no. I just uh…"

"She's worried it's going to rain…" Molly recovered as she handed her mother and Danny their pieces of cake, "She's worried it's going to rain and there may or may not be something outside that can't get wet."

"Oh really?" Alexis smiled cheekily, "Is there a present out there for me?"

"Oh, will you just eat your cake?" Sam dismissed her as she took a seat in the adjacent chair, Sonny taking one on the other side.

"Molly! This is really good!" He smiled to his niece, "You did a really great job. Your grandmother would be proud."

"Thank you!" Molly watched as her nephew furiously dug into the cake with his fork, "Do you like it, Danny?"

"Yes," He nodded before shoving another rather large bite into his mouth.

"With all this cake today, you're not going to sleep for a week." Alexis chuckled as she kissed Danny's head and looked up to find her daughter yet again looking in the other direction, "Sam, will you relax? If you're so worried… why don't you just give me my gift, already?"

"Okay…" Sam simply smiled to her mother, before glancing back in the direction of the door.

"What?" Alexis took note of the peculiar demeanor before looking around the table and noticing the same goofy grins on Molly and Sonny's faces, "What's the matter with you?"

"Come here, Danny…" Sam transferred Danny from Alexis lap to hers. "Let grandma go see her present."

"What?" Alexis looked at her curiously before a movement from the doorway caught her eye. Turning in that direction, her jaw dropped and tears immediately flooded her eyes. "Oh my God…"

"Happy Birthday!"


	2. Surprise!

**A/N: Hello! Thank you for all of your feedback. I'm glad to see that there is interest in the continuation of this story. :)**

**Here is the next part. Enjoy! :) **

**P.S. Unedited. Barely re-read. LOL. Excuse the errors.**

**Chapter Two**: Surprise! 

"Kristina!" Alexis practically jumped from her seat and engulfed her daughter into a hug.

"Happy Birthday, mom!" Kristina smiled happily over her mother's shoulder, hugging her tightly before they broke away and she met her teary face, "I'm home!"

"Oh, you are!" Alexis cried, "Baby, I'm so happy to see you!" She hugged her daughter again before turning back to every watching them.

"See… we didn't want her getting rained on…" Sam smiled as she got up, setting Danny on the floor, she wrapped her arms around her little sister, "You have perfect timing."

"Good," Kristina smiled before finding her Dad standing before her, "Hi, Daddy…"

"Hi, babygirl…" Sonny hugged her, "I've missed you."

"I just saw you an hour ago!" Kristina exclaimed from her father's tight embrace.

"What?" Alexis exclaimed, "You knew about this?"

"Well, someone had to pick her up at the airport." Sonny smiled as Alexis slapped his arm.

"You all knew about this!" Alexis looked around the room, eyeing Molly who simply smiled brightly before skipping over to her sister for her turn.

"Well, not all of us…" Sam pointed to Danny standing in front of her, eyeing the surprise curiously.

"Hey, Danny…" Kristina smiled as she got on one knee, "Can I have a hug?"

"Yeah," He nodded with a smile before running into her arms, "Hi, aunt Tissy."

"Oh, I've missed you so much!" Kristina smiled before leaning back and kissing her little nephew's cheek. She stood up and looked around, "I've missed everybody so much!"

"We've missed you!" Alexis could feel herself heading towards tears again and she pulled her daughter into her arms, "I love you, baby."

"I love you too, mom…" She smiled when they released, "Good birthday?"

"Oh, the best!" She wiped her tears, "The absolute best."

* * *

"Hey…" Sonny drew her attention from where she was standing on the porch, overlooking her back yard where Sam, Kristina, Molly and Danny were all playing. He offered one of the steaming mugs that he held in his hand.

"Oh, thank you," She smiled, "And thank you for coming tonight. It was really nice having you here."

"Of course. I wouldn't miss your birthday!" Sonny smiled, watching as Alexis face falls and she turns her gaze back to the yard, "Hey… you okay?"

"Hmm?" She turned back.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," She shook her head, forcing a smile. She didn't need this, "What could possibly be wrong? Our daughter is home and I have my whole family here."

"Everyone except Garrett…"

"He's in New York." She nodded.

"You hear from him today?"

"Yes," She nodded as they made their way to the patio sofa, taking a seat, "He called. And sent me flowers."

"But he's still in New York."

"I didn't ask him to come home. Nor did I expect it." She shrugged, focusing on her coffee.

"But it would have been nice…" He watched her carefully, noticing her lack of reaction, "What's he doing there anyway?"

"Trying to get divorced." She shrugged, "Wrapping up his business."

"What's his business?" Sonny questioned, "I thought he worked for the DOI in New York?"

"He does… but he has a family business that he's been taking care of for the past few years…"

"What is it?" Sonny questioned curiously.

"I don't know… It was his father's." Alexis shrugged.

"His father gone?"

"As far as I know Garrett doesn't have any family left." She sighed.

"Oh…" Sonny paused, distracted by his own thoughts, "So, uh… how's this whole divorce thing going? Is she being cooperative?"

"Nope," Alexis sighed again, "She's trying to take him for everything he has, which is why he's trying to liquidate his assets. Getting rid of the business is the first step."

"Who's representing him?"

"Someone in the city. I'm just trying my best to stay as out of it as possible. It does help that he hasn't been here."

"Yeah? Helps what?" Sonny gave her a knowing glance and watched her eyes moisten a little, "I'm sorry, Lex. This must be hard."

"It is. But you know what? I can't let it get out of hand. I can't let my own insecurities take over. I trust him. We promised each other that we would start fresh and that means that I can't let the past dictate the future. I have to trust him for what he says that he is now. For what he stands for. He hasn't given me any reason to think otherwise."

* * *

"You look beautiful," Sam smiled as Kristina approached and took a seat beside her in the grass.

"And so do you, big sister," She smiled, wrapping her arm around her.

"I'm so glad you were able to make it in time. You really made mom's birthday… Even though she wouldn't admit it, she was feeling a little bad about Garrett being in New York."

"I know…" Kristina sighed, "Molly's been telling me that she hasn't really been herself lately. With Garrett in New York and since you…"

"Go ahead…" Sam sighed, smirking a little, "Since I abandoned her and took away her sunshine by moving out with my son."

"Well…" Kristina raised a brow, "I wasn't gonna say anything…"

"Yeah, yeah…" Her sister rolled her eyes, "Thank God for you… saving the birthday!"

"That's what I'm here for!" Kristina studied her sister, "So… what's up with you!? What's new?"

"Not much… just busy chasing after that one…" She gestures to Danny running through the yard, "Working a lot. Business is pretty good these days."

"That's good…" She nodded, "How are you though?"

"I'm good!" Sam smiled then noted her sister's look, "What?"

"Molly mentioned something to me about a date…?"

"Oh God…" Sam sighed before getting up from her seat and heading to white bench swing under the tree, "Is she ever going to learn to keep her mouth shut?"

"Come on, Sam!" Kristina nudged as she sat beside her sister on the swing, "She was excited! Patrick is a great guy!"

"Yeah… I know…"

"So?"

"So, what?"

"So, how was it?"

"It was fine. It was fun. We had a good time. He's a really good friend."

"Just a friend?" Her sister egged on, "I thought you guys have been seeing each other for a few months?"

"No… not really." Sam drew a breath, "He convinced me to go to the grief support group with him a few times. I really didn't want to go. And we would just go to dinner after sometimes. Or coffee."

"And?"

"And that it!" Sam chuckled, brushing her sister off, "He's a good friend. That's it. I don't want anything else right now. I tried to do that with Lucky and I just couldn't. It was too much. I have Danny to think about. And he just takes up a lot of time and I don't have the energy for a relationship right now."

"Well I think it would be really awesome if you and Patrick got together! You guys would be perfect for each other. You can relate. You both know what it's like to lose someone you love and you can understand the others feelings. That's so important. And it doesn't hurt that he's a doctor…"

"Right," Sam rolled her eyes, "So, what about you? Anyone new in your life?"

"Maybe…" Kristina raised a brow, "But right now I'm talking about you. Why are you avoiding a relationship so much?"

"Mommy! Look!" Danny came bounding over with his hands cupped in front of him, before opening them a crack for his mother to see the little toad that was residing inside of them, "Look what we catched-ed!"

"Wow!" Sam's eyes were bright, "You caught a little toad!"

"Oh, boy…" Kristina grimaced, "That's so gross…"

"Oh, Danny. I have a good idea…" Sam chuckled, putting a hand on her sons back to guide him, "Come here…Show grandma what you have…" At the sound of Sam's voice, Sonny and Alexis both turned towards the stairs to find her and Danny making their way towards them.

"Oh! What did you get?" Alexis asked enthusiastically, leaning forward to see what was in Danny's hands before he opened them a crack, "I can't see…"

"Oh, no…" Sonny chuckled just as Danny opened his hands a little further.

"Oh! It's a TOAD!" Alexis screamed as the tiny toad jumped out of Danny's hands and landed directly on her chest, "Ahhh! Oh my God!"

"My Toad!" Danny cried out as Alexis jumped up from the chair, the toad still stuck to her, "Gwamma Stop! He gonna falled off!"

"He better!" Alexis yelled as Sam tried to contain her laughter long enough to get the toad from her mother's chest.

"Hold on, mom." Sam laughed, "Just slow down…"

"This is _not_ funny! Get it off!"

"Oh my God…" Sonny shook his head in laughter, "

"Come here…." Sam soothed as she cupped the toad into her hands.

"Gwamma!" Danny scolded, "He not gonna huwt you! He dust teeny baby!"

"Oh, right…" Alexis rolled her eyes and matched Sonny's incessant laughter with a slap to the arm.

* * *

"Who's there?" A voice bellowed as Garrett lightly closed the front door of the dark house and made his way into the dimly lit sitting room.

"It's just me." He answered as he came into view to the older gentleman seated in the chair.

"Oh… you." The gentleman sighed, going back to the newspaper he held in front of him.

"Thanks for the warm welcome. Always a pleasure." Garrett stood with his hands in his pockets.

"What brings you by?"

"This…" He held out an envelope to the man that took it swiftly.

"What is this?" He opened it, reading the contents, "When did you get this?"

"Yesterday." Garrett took a seat on the ottoman in front of his chair, "It's the third one I've received this week. Not to mention the messages that were piled up in my office when I got back here."

"What do you want me to do about it?" The man asked defensively.

"I want out. I don't want to put up with this anymore. I don't want to worry that if I make one wrong move, my life is in danger."

"This is your birth right. You are the only one that can take care of the business. You've never had a problem before."

"I've never had a problem before?" Garrett exclaimed as he rose from his seat and began to walk about the room, "I've always had a problem! I have a respectable job! I've done nothing but work to try and keep my life simple and legitimate… but I've always had this stupid secret looming over head."

"What am I supposed to do? Just cut ties? End things? Do you know how much money would be at stake, here? What kind of danger we would be putting ourselves in?"

"I thought you said that there was no danger anymore?" Garrett raised a brow to the older man, "I thought you said these were good people… nothing would go wrong anymore…"

"Well, it's different now than it was in the past, but you still can't just leave your partners hanging like that. It's bad business."

"I can't do this anymore, Pop," He shook his head as he sat down in front of the man again, his face a little calmer and more serious, "I have a family to think about. I don't want to lie to them. I can't lie to them. I promised."

"There are loyalties, Gerard. I'm your family, too. Or have you forgotten that?"

"Of course I haven't forgotten that!" He exclaims, "Julie is trying to take me for everything that I have! What if she finds out? Our lives will be ruined!"

"The only way that she would find out is if you decided to tell her. Or you were careless in your dealings."

"What am I supposed to do about these letters?" Garrett gestured to the paper in his father's hands, "That isn't going to fix itself. They want something… do you know what it is?"

The older man paused for a moment, "No… I can't say that I do. But I will look into it."

"Thank you…" He pauses for a moment, "You know… I want to help you."

"Yeah, except you're too concerned with that woman." The old man huffed as he rose from his seat and traveled to stand in front of his fire place.

"That woman? Excuse me?"

"You know who I'm talking about."

"If you're referring to Alexis… and my daughter… yes, I am concerned about them. They are my family."

"You didn't even know that your "family" existed until 2 years ago. Give me a break, son. This is just an excuse."

"Just an excuse." Garrett nodded sardonically, "You're right. That's exactly what it is."


	3. I Can't, I'm Busy

**A/N: Hey Everyone! I know, It's been a while. Been super busy with work and had a little bit of writers block but I'm back now- hope you're all still interested in reading! **

**Please let me know what you think. I'll be posting Ch. 4 tomorrow. Enjoy. :) **

**Chapter 3: **_I Can't, I'm Busy_

"I gotsta lolly… I gotsta lolly!" Danny's sing-songy voice echoed as he skipped through the halls of General hospital with his mother following behind, vigorously leafing through her purse.

"Danny, slow down." Sam sighed as she stopped, setting her purse on the nurse's station counter, "Daniel, come back here please!"

"What?" Danny turned his head in the direction of his mother, before colliding with a tall body, "Oh! Sahwee…"

"It's okay, Buddy," Patrick smiled, chuckling slightly when Danny's eyes lit up.

"Emma daddy!" He excited turned back to his mother, "'Yook, mommy! Emma daddy!"

"Hey…" Sam smiled as she pulled her keys from her bag and walked in their direction, "Sorry about that…"

"It's fine. I've had a lot worse happen to me," Patrick ruffled Danny's hair, "What do you have there?"

"A lolly!" Danny smiled, showcasing his wrapped candy, "I sabe fer layder."

"Oh, I see…" He smiled back to the little boy's mother who was standing back. "How've you been, Sam? I haven't seen you around lately."

"I'm good," She nods cordially, "I've been busy… with work… and Danny of course never stops going."

"Aunt Tissy comed home!" Danny exclaimed, stretching his neck to look up.

"Oh yeah?"

"My sister came home to surprise mom for her birthday…" Sam answered as she crossed her arms and kept her distance.

"That's great! I'm sure your mom was happy." Patrick smiled.

"She was. And really surprised. So… I mean, that's why I haven't really been around. Been doing a lot of family stuff, you know."

"Yeah… yeah. I've uh, I've missed seeing you guys around." Patrick studied her carefully as she avoided eye contact.

"I know… we have to get together. Get the kids together again…"

"Definitely." Patrick agreed with a nod before drawing a preparatory breath, "If you're not doing anything this afternoon, I'm actually ending my shift…"

"Oh… uh… no." She paused, "I mean… I have to get to work… I just had to bring Danny for his appointment…"

"Oh, okay…" Patrick was quick to understand before kneeling to Danny's level, "Emma really misses seeing you. Maybe soon we could all get together to play?"

"Yeah!" The little boy turned excitedly to his mother for affirmation, "Pway wiff Emma, momma!"

"Sure, honey. We'll figure something out." Sam smiled as she took her son's hand, "Say bye…"

"Bye Emma daddy!"

"Bye, Danny…" Casting his eyes upward, he finally made contact, "Bye Sam."

"Bye," Sam nodded, leaving Patrick to watch as they disappeared into the elevator.

* * *

"I have something I'd like you to look into," Sonny looked at the paper in his hands. "I want you to see if you can find an operation in the Manhattan area… the last name is Newman… or Moreau- M-O-R-E-A-U. Yeah. Just let me know what you can find…" A knock at the door brought him to attention as his daughter's head peeked around the door, he smiled and motioned for her to enter, "I'll give you a call tomorrow. Thanks." Hanging up the phone, he held his arms open for his daughter.

"Hi dad." Kristina smiled as they leaned back to look at one another.

"What brings you by?"

"Well… Mom and I went shopping and now we are headed to Kelly's for lunch!" She watched as Sonny looked past her.

"Your mother's here?"

"Yeah…" Kristina nodded, "Garrett called as we walked in so she's down the hall talking to him. She said she had some papers to drop off to you."

"Oh, all right." A smile crossed his face as he wrapped his arm around Kristina, "It's nice to have you home."

"It's nice to be home. I've missed everybody so much." Kristina sat down in the seat that her father guided her to, looking up to where he sat in front of her on the edge of his desk.

"You're mother's really missed you. You picked a good time to come home."

"Yeah… Is she okay?" His daughter's face was suddenly riddled with concern.

"She says that she is but I think Garrett being in New York is maybe bothering her more than she's letting on."

"She keeps saying that she trusts him… so it's fine." Kristina shook her head, "But it's not all about trust. I mean, it's okay for her to just generally be sad that he isn't around right now- you know, just to miss him. But she just keeps reassuring herself that she trusts him."

"They've been through a lot."

"I know," She concedes, "She's just not acting like herself… I talk to her and it's like she isn't even listening."

"I'm sure that's not true…"

"I know that she has a lot on her mind, but it's just not like her…" The young girl shrugs, "I guess I'm just worried."

"Well she's distracted. It's understandable. Try not to worry… your mother is a strong woman. She can take care of herself." Sonny reassures just as Alexis breezes into the office.

"Sorry about that!" She smiles as Sonny and Kristina both looked up to meet her.

"It's okay," Kristina smiled, "Dad and I were just catching up a little bit."

"Well, that's good." Her mother smiled as she held out the large folder to her father, "All six contracts are ready for you to look over. Make sure I'm present when they are signed, please."

"Sure," He nods, flipping through the folder, "Wow. Thanks… you've been busy."

"It's my job," She shrugs, before turning to Kristina, "You ready? I'm starving."

"Yeah! Me too." Kristina smiles, rising from her seat to hug her dad, "It was nice being able to drop in on my dad."

"It was nice having you, baby girl."

"See? Isn't this all just so nice?" Alexis wraps an arm around her daughter as they turn toward the door, "If you would move back home again then you could do this all of the time."

"Yes, mom. I know," She rolls her eyes before walking out the door.

"Hey, Lex," Sonny calls hastily causing her to turn around before leaving, but now was not the time, "Uh… thanks. Thanks for these."

"Sure," She nods with a smile before leaving.

* * *

"Mistuh Yuke!" Danny came bounding through the door to Kelly's that Sam held open and made a direct bee-line to his favorite restaurateur, holding up the day's prized possessions, "I gotsta lolly!"

"Hey, there! You do. That's looks like a good lollipop."

"Mmmhmm." Danny nodded as Sam made her way up to the counter to stand behind him, ruffling his hair.

"Samantha." Luke nods with a smile.

"Hi, Luke." She returns the sentiment with a half hearted smile.

"What can I get you two?"

"Fwen Fwies," Danny announced excitedly.

"We're going to wait a little bit to order." Sam smiled. "I'll just have a glass of water, please."

"Momma, I wan' fwen fwies!" Danny looked up at her curiously before looking past to see the door open, "Gwamma!"

"Hey!" Alexis smiled brightly, watching as Danny came running towards her. Scooping him into her arms and showering his face with kisses, she hugged him tightly, "My handsome boy. I didn't know you would be here!"

"I gotsta lolly!" He leaned back from her embrace and held the small treat in front of her face.

"You did! Were you a good boy at the doctor?" She watched carefully as he nodded.

"Yep!" He nodded happily, "I gotsta lolly and sawed Emma daddy!"

"Oh!" Alexis raised her brow in surprise and met eyes with her daughter, "Emma's daddy, huh?"

"Yeah. We gonna go to pway gwound." Danny exclaimed excitedly.

"I see…" Alexis nodded with a smile before kissing his cheek.

Sam watched her mother as she leaned over to set Danny on his feet and appeared to lose her balance, gripping the side of the table to stay steady. "Mom?" She studied her carefully, "You okay?"

"Hmm? Yeah…" Putting a hand to her head, she took a cleansing breath and straightened out slowly, catching Danny's concerned stare; she was quick to reassure him, "I'm fine, baby."

"Danny, honey… here" Sam handed Danny a quarter, "Go get some bubble gum, okay? But you have to save it until after lunch."

"'Kay!" The little boy smiled as he set his lollipop on the table a scurried over to the candy dispensers.

"Mom?"

"What?" Alexis could see the concern on her daughter's face.

"What the hell just happened?" Sam waited for an answer as they both took their seats at the table, "Did you eat today?"

"I… I guess not… Kristina and I rushed out to go shopping this morning." She brushed a hand through her hair and Sam noticed her trying to catch her breath.

"Well, obviously your blood sugar is low. You probably haven't eaten since your birthday, knowing you."

"Sam, come on." Alexis chuckled, "I'm okay! Please! I just need a cheeseburger."

Sam pushed her glass of ice water towards her, "Here, drink this."

"Thank you… Honey, I'm fine, really. Let's just order some lunch." Alexis sipped the water as Danny came back with his hands full of chiclets.

"Gum!" He smiled brightly holding out his cupped hands to his grandmother.

"Mmm, here let's put it on this napkin and we can save them for after lunch." After dropping his treats on the napkin, he held up his arms and Alexis happily lifted him onto her lap with a kiss to his head. "What do you want for lunch, squishy?"

"Fwen fwies!" Danny smiled as he pointed to the small picture on the menu.

"Really? You don't like French fries, do you?"

"Yes I yub fwen fwies!" Danny exclaimed happily drawing giggles from his mother and grandmother.

Sam never tired of watching her mother and her son interact. She never ceased to wonder what it would have been like if she had her mom at Danny's age. How things would have been different. She couldn't thank God enough that she had her now… and that her son had her in his life. After so many years of being on her own, at this stage- she didn't know what she would do without her mom and her family. They mean everything to her.

"Sam?" Alexis called her daughter's name for the 3rd time finally pulling her from her daydream, "What are you ordering?"

"Oh, sorry," Sam focused on the waitress standing beside the table, "I'll have the chicken sandwich."

"Sure thing. That'll be right up." The waitress smiled before collecting their menus and leaving the table.

"Where's Krissy?"

"She got a phone call, she's outside." Alexis sipped the fresh water that was placed in front of her as Danny colored on his kids menu. "So, you saw Patrick this afternoon?"

"Yeah… at the hospital after Danny's appointment."

"And?" Alexis raised a brow, bringing about a roll of her daughter's eyes.

"And what, mom?"

"Well… you two were spending some time together and now…"

"And now I've been busy!" Sam looked past her mother to see her sister enter, "Krissy's here…"

"Hey!" Kristina's face lit up when she saw her older sister and nephew at the table, "I didn't know you were here!"

"Surprise!" Sam smiled as she hugged her before taking her seat, "Danny had a doctor appointment and we came here to get some lunch."

"The only one missing is Molly!" Kristina frowned.

"She'll be disappointed that we had lunch together while she was in school…" Alexis smiled, eyeing both of her girls, "Maybe we should have dinner tonight, too!"

"Fine with me." Sam complied, "As long as you're not cooking."

"I won't cook…" Her mother rolled her eyes before noticing Sam look past her, "What?"

"Hey… long time…"

Alexis watched as Sam smiled and followed her gaze to find Patrick had made his way to their table, "Patrick, hi!"

"Hi, Alexis." He turned his gaze to the younger Davis girl, "Kristina, how are you?"

"Good, thanks…" She watched as Danny looked up swiftly, smiling to meet his favorite doctor.

"Hi, Emma daddy… again!"

"Yeah," Sam chuckled uncomfortably.

"Well, uh… I have to grab my order. It was good to see you all."

"You too!" Kristina smiled brightly as he walked away, before noticing her sister shrink three sizes, "What the heck, Sam?"

"I told him I was working…" Sam sighed as she watched him leave with his take-out.

"What?" Alexis was confused.

"He asked if Danny and I wanted to get some lunch with him and I said that I had to go back to work."

"Busted…" Kristina chuckled before sipping her water.

"Sam, is there a reason why you're avoiding him?" Her mother's concern was evident and this was not something that Sam wanted to get into.

"No!" She protested, "I just… I'm just busy. I do have work to do… and I want to spend time with you guys!"

"You didn't even know that we would be here…" Her sister reminded, prompting a stern gaze from the elder.

"Not now, Krissy…" Sam was relieved when the waitress arrived at their table with food.

"Fwen fwy!" Danny clapped as his grandmother cleaned up the crayons and the waitress set his food down. Kristina pulled a chair between her and her mother.

"There ya go, Danny… You can have your own seat!"

"No!" The little boy protested, his signature scowl crossing his face, "I sit heyah. Wiff gwamma."

"Danny, baby." Sam soothed, "Grandma needs to eat her lunch, too… where's her food going to go?"

"Wight heyah!" He pointed to the spot next to his chicken fingers and French fries.

"Honey, you're a big boy. Come on, you can sit in your own chair." Sam cajoled again, only to be met by the stern face of her son.

"It's okay," Alexis reassured before kissing her grandson's soft wavy hair, "He can sit here… we'll manage."

"Mom…" Sam sighed before turning to her sister, who was laughing at the exchange, "Every day…"

"This is what happens when you move out…" Alexis spoke matter-of-factly between bites of her French fries.

"And we start…" Sam chuckled as she embarked on her meal.


	4. Don't Worry

**A/N: Here's the next chapter as promised. Hope there is still interest in this little story as I am anxious to share what I have created. **

**Please let me know what you think by leaving a review. It really helps. :) **

**P.S. Not much editing was involved in the posting of this chapter... LOL **

**Chapter 4****: **_Don't Worry_

_"I'm sorry, I hope I'm not intruding…"_

_"No, not at all…" Sam allowed the man to enter before shutting the office door behind him._

_"I just didn't feel comfortable with the way we left things…" He sighed putting his hands in his pockets, "Actually… I was a jerk and I apologize. You obviously came to me looking for answers for some reason and I was of no help…" _

_"It's fine…" Sam reassured, "Can I get you a glass of water or something?" _

_"No, thank you…" _

_"What brings you to Port Charles?" Sam was having a hard time understanding why this man that lived in Manhattan and had no interest in talking to her was suddenly standing in her office. _

_"You." He stated simply, looking at her with wide eyes._

_"Me." She reiterated, crossing her arms as she leaned against the edge of her desk. _

_"Listen, Mrs. Morgan…" _

_"Please… call me Sam." _

_"Sam," He cracked a small smile, "You wouldn't have come all the way to Manhattan to find me if it weren't important… so the least I could do was make the trip here and give you the answers that you need." _

_"Mr. Newman…" _

_"Garrett." _

_"Right, Garrett," She chuckled, slightly uncomfortable, "I came to find your brother and you said that he's passed away so really there is nothing more to discuss…" _

_"You said that he knew your mother?" The truth was, Garrett was starting to want answers himself. Who was this young woman and why did she seem so familiar?_

_"Yes." Sam nodded, "They knew each other when my mother was in boarding school. She spent the summer before her sophomore year on campus and that's when they met." _

_"Oh, I see." Garrett nodded calmly but felt his mouth go dry and his stomach twist in knots. _

_"Mr. Newman…" Sam drew a deep breath, "I don't know how to say this… But I guess it needs to be said. The reason why I traveled so far for answers is because… your brother… your brother was my father." _

_That was it. His heart was pounding in his chest. _

_"My mother, Ale- well she was Alexandra when she was in school. Alexandra Davidovitch. She and your brother were together… that summer. From what my mother says, one day he just disappeared. You said that your brother died a long time ago…" _

_"Yes." He nodded voraciously, "Yes, a long time ago..." _

_"Is that what happened to him?" Sam pressed on, "When he disappeared? Was he in an accident?" _

_"I'm so sorry." Garrett met eyes with her and felt emotion rush to his own. He couldn't do it. How could this be? "I'm sorry, Mrs. Morg- Sam… I'm sorry I really- I have to go." _

_"I didn't mean to—"Sam watched as he rushed out of the room._

_"It's all right… I just need a moment…" Garrett tried to reassure her but exiting that office was more important than that. _

_Sam sighed as she watched the door close briskly, and slumped back onto the desk, "-upset you."_

He rolled over and looked at the bedside clock, 2:24am. He had only gone to bed at 12:30. Lifting his phone into view, he smiled when he saw one message from Sam. A picture of Danny snuggled in bed sleeping with his "Nemo". He missed them. He missed them so much. Even more so, he hated what he was doing to them. Leaving… again. It was the last thing that he ever wanted to happen but here he was away from his family and keeping secrets again.

They needed protection, and he was the only person that could give it to them by virtue of ending the vicious cycle and corrupt legacy that his family created. His hands were tied and until he could figure a way out- there was no way he could go back to Port Charles. He would be followed and that would put Alexis and his family directly in harms way.

He clicked on her name. It was late… but she silenced her phone at night anyway out of fear that some crazy client would call her to bail them out. He began typing _Missing you tonight and every night. You're incredible. I'm the luckiest man in the world. Love you. _Sent. It had become a habit. Sending those short sentimental texts at times when he knew she wouldn't see it right away. For some reason it put him at ease… kept a sort of distance that he needed right now. This life was killing him. And he was afraid it was killing them.

* * *

_Alexis couldn't find her phone- per usual. She ruffled through her purse as she entered the Metro-Court lobby. She was late for an appointment with a temperamental client- so temperamental that they were probably the person calling her._

_"Hello, Alexis Davis." _

_"Hi, mom." Sam sunk into her chair at the sound of her mother's voice on the other end. _

_"Hi, sweetheart." She could hear that something was wrong, "Everything all right?" _

_"Yeah… Are you busy?" Her daughter could hear her mother out of breath and figured she probably interrupted something work related. She couldn't help it, though. She just wanted to hear her voice. _

_"No… never too busy for you." Alexis drew a deep breath as she sat down in one of the lobby chairs, "What's wrong, honey?" _

_"Nothing." Sam quickly wiped a tear that escaped her eye. _

_"You're crying…" _

_"No." Sam didn't know how her mother could tell that with the drop of one tear over a phone call, but she did. She also didn't really know why she was crying, except that maybe she held dreams that were too far out of reach. She couldn't help it- after hearing her mother talk about her father the way that she did- she longed to know him. A part of her was hoping and praying that when Garrett Newman walked into her office that day he was going to tell her that he was wrong or he was lying, and her father was indeed alive and well and wanted to meet her. _

_"Yes, you are. And I know you're not going to tell me why but is there something I can do for you?" Alexis was starting to get worried, but she also knew that things were hard for Sam. She mourned Jason and some days that grief was too much for her to bear. _

_"No…" Sam cracked a smile, "I just wanted to hear your voice." _

_"Oh," Now it was Alexis' turn to cry. The fact that simply the sound of her voice could be of help to her child was something that she cherished. _

_"I'll let you go now. I have work to get done and I know you probably do too…" _

_"Yeah…" She wiped her tear, "Sam?" _

_"Yeah?" _

_"I love you…" _

_"I love you, too, mom." Sam smiled as fresh tears filled her eyes before hanging up the phone. _

_Alexis found herself doing the same, careful not to mess her make-up for the sake of having to attend a meeting. She took a deep breath and noticed the calmness that washed over her, just by a simple phone call from one of her girls. Life was good. _

_"Okay," She spoke to herself quietly before standing up and throwing her bag on her shoulder. Taking two steps towards the restaurant, she stopped when she heard a familiar voice. When she turned around, the face that was looking back at her was familiar, too. She couldn't barely whisper, "Gerard?" _

Alexis' eyes flew open as she gasped for air. As she sat up, she brushed her hand through the back of her wet hair before noting the dampness of her clothes. It wasn't the first time this had happened. In fact, she had awoken in a cold sweat every night for the past week. And again she couldn't breath… she quickly opened her nightstand drawer and retrieved the inhaler that she kept there for emergencies. She rarely needed to use it, but recently the stress of missing Garrett and worrying about what was happening with him was taking its toll on her.

Anxiety was running high and Alexis knew that she had to do something before she made herself sick. She missed him… so much. And there was nothing she could do about it. She was scared, too. As much as she longed to trust him completely and as much as she did trust him- she couldn't help but feel like he was keeping something from her. She was worried about him- worried that whatever it was, was wearing him down and she wanted to be there as a confidant. But he wasn't going to allow that.

As she finished using her inhaler she turned towards the door to see a worried face peaking through the crack.

"Kristina?" Alexis squinted her eyes to be sure it was the correct daughter. She smiled when it was clear as Kristina opened the door to reveal herself.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, honey." Her mother nodded with a tired smile, "I'm fine. Come here…" She motioned for her to join her on the bed before tucking the inhaler back where it belonged.

"I didn't think you needed that any more…" Worry was evident in Kristina's voice, as she remembered being a little girl and worried about her mother anytime she saw the tiny device.

"Just once and a while." Alexis reassured as she wrapped her arms around her middle daughter, "I think it's more due to stress than anything- it doesn't help much to use it."

"Mom…" They met eyes, "I'm worried about you."

"What?"

"You're not yourself… Molly told me that you were stressed and a little depressed since Garrett left but I didn't think it was this bad…"

"Kristina…"

"No, mom…. I want you to take care of yourself. I've never seen you like this… not since you divorced Ric…"

"Oh, wow…" Alexis hugged her close. "That's a blast from the past…"

"I just don't want you to get sick or something from all of this…" Kristina felt herself getting emotional and suddenly in the warm embrace of her mother, she felt like a little girl again- worried that cancer was going to take her mother away from her.

"Kristina…" Alexis soothed as her daughter sat up to look her in the eye, "I'm fine. You don't need to worry about me… I promise I am taking care of myself…"

"Why are you all wet? Are you sweating?" Kristina felt the dampness in her mother's clothes before noticing the back of her hair was wet, "Mom!"

"What?" Alexis scoffed, "It's just anxiety, Kristina. It happens at night sometimes."

"Have you been to the doctor?!" If she wasn't worried before, she certainly was worried now, "Mom, night sweats can be really serious!"

"Sweetheart! I promise I am fine. Please, don't do this. You're going to worry yourself sick over my anxiety!"

"Please promise me you'll take care of yourself…" Kristina paused, feeling the tears sting her eyes, "We need you."

"Oh, honey…" Alexis enveloped her daughter into her arms, "I promise I will take care of myself. I need all of you, too. I love you so much my baby girl…'

"I love you too, mom." She wiped a tear as her mother cradled her.


	5. Movie Night

**A/N: Hello Readers! Finally back with an update. I'm excited for where this is headed. I hope you enjoy this next update. I apologize in advance for any errors. **

**Please, share your thoughts. :) **

**Chapter 5: **Movie Night

Garrett grimaced before turning down the talk-radio that had been playing through the car speakers as he drove through the crisp fall dusk. He had grown so accustomed to silence recently that he could barely handle to listen to the news shows that he had always been so interested in. A lot had changed, and he felt himself changing. It wasn't that he wanted to, if anything he was missing his more care free and happy self- his Port Charles Garrett. Father, grandfather… and lover. Those were the parts that he loved to play. That was who he was… not this. He didn't have secrets and he didn't want to keep them. He wanted to tell everything. And if he didn't feel like his life and the lives of those he loves were in danger, he would do just that. Garrett wasn't the bad guy, here… he never was.

"That's enough of that…" He sighed as he briskly reached over and changed the channel to a much mellow 70's folk rock- quickly turning it up and relaxing back into the driver's seat.

* * *

Alexis was making her way through the living room with a steaming mug of tea and headed to the door to enjoy the crisp fall air when as she opened it, Molly practically ran her down from the porch, "Whoa!"

"Oh, I'm sorry mom!" Molly apologized, stopping to make sure that she didn't cause her mother to spill the hot liquid, "I didn't see you!"

"That's okay, baby… but what's the hurry?" Alexis studied her carefully, stepping back to allow her to pass as she observed the bags that she held in her hands. "What is all of that?"

"Snacks!" She responded happily as Kristina then entered from the hall.

Alexis' eyes widened, "That's all snacks?!"

"Sam just called… she's on her way!" Kristina was smiling from ear to ear.

"Great!" Molly responded to her sister before turning back to Alexis, "Yeah, mom. Snacks for our movie night!"

"All that for just one night, huh?" Their mother raised a brow as she sipped her tea, "Whatever happened to movie night with popcorn and root beer floats?"

"Are we five?" Kristina chuckled as she joined her sister to check out what she had purchased.

"I don't know, are you?!" Their mother retorted causing both girls to roll their eyes with a chuckle.

"Mom…" Molly chastised, "It's just been forever since all three of us had a Davis girls night! I had to get all of our favorites!"

"Well, I'm very glad that you girls are getting to spend time together…" She smiled and meant it. There was nothing Alexis loved more than the bond that her three daughters had.

"Oh! Look mom!" Kristina smiled before gearing to toss her mother a candy bar, "This is for you!"

Alexis raised her hand to quickly catch the tossed treat- an "Almond Joy", her eyes lit up, "Oh! Thank you very much!"

"You're welcome!" Molly cheered as she and Kristina continued to ruffle through the bag.

"Twix!?" Kristina exclaimed happily, "I love you, Molly."

"I know."

Alexis rolled her eyes with a chuckle, "Is there anything other than candy in that bag?"

"Yeah!" Molly nodded as she turned to showcase the "Party Size" bags of Doritos and Sour Cream & Onion potato chips.

"Perfect," Alexis laughed before she felt the screen door open beside her. Looking down she found a smiling pair of blue eyes peering up at her.

"I'm hee-uh!" Danny exclaimed happily as he stood before his grandmother with his backpack on his back and his two favorite DVD's gripped firmly in both hands- _Toy Story 2_ and _Finding Nemo. _

"Oh! My date is here!" Alexis enthused as she set her tea and candy bar on the table before turning back to lift Danny into her arms showering his cheeks with kisses as he giggled.

"Stahhhpp!" He laughed as he thrashed is head from side to side before the kissing ceased and he leaned back to show his prized possessions, "I bwought movies!"

"You did? Your favorites!" She eyed them both excitedly.

"Yep!" Danny nodded happily as Sam entered drawing both of their attentions to the door.

"Hi!" Sam smiled as she entered, greeting her mother with a hug.

"Hi, honey." Alexis smiled to Sam as she turned to her sisters.

"You guys ready?!" Sam clapped her hands together as the girls gathered their bags and met up with her by the door.

Kristina looked around the room, before resting on her mother, "Okay… maybe we are five."

"Slumber party!" Molly exclaimed as laughter sang around them.

"You girls have fun, okay?" Alexis smiled as she kissed each daughter while still holding Danny on her hip.

"You two have fun, too!" Sam smiled as she kissed her son, "Have fun with Grandma. Don't stay up too late! Don't eat too much popcorn!"

"I yub popcohn!" His face lit up causing Alexis to laugh.

"Tell mommy you can never have too much popcorn, right?!" She winked as she hugged him close and watched the three Davis girls leave. She leaned in close to Danny, "Say bye. Tell them we love them!"

"Bye! Yub you!" Danny waved with a smile watching as they disappeared down the stairs. He turned back to his grandmother, "We hab popcorn now?"

"Sure!" She chuckled as she sat him on the floor and helped him take off his bulgingly stuffed backpack, "What do you have in here?"

"Jammies. And Nemo!"

"Oh, of course!" Alexis kissed his nose before guiding him towards the kitchen, "Come on… popcorn time!"

* * *

"Oh my God!" Kristina laughed as all three Davis sisters sat together on Sam's sectional sofa in their pajama's… various food items and candy wrappers scattered around them, "Wasn't that the summer we went to that outside concert and…"

"…And I slipped in the mud?" Sam rolled her eyes as she took a bite of her candy bar.

"Didn't we have to call mom for some reason…" Molly stopped to ponder.

"Yeah…" Her eldest sister nodded, "I locked the keys in the trunk…"

"Hahaaa!" Kristina threw her head back in laughter, "I really thought mom was going to pee her pants when she showed up and saw you covered in mud like that. It was in your hair… in your ears!"

"I remember. It's kind of hard to forget mud in your ear…" Sam rolled her eyes as another fit of giggles took over her middle sister, "I'm glad you still find that so funny…"

"You have to admit Sam… it was pretty funny…" Molly managed to agree with her sister between fits of laughter.

"Let's not forget mom showing up in her freaking bathrobe!" Sam laughed, shaking her head, "I couldn't believe that she was standing in the parking lot laughing at me while she was wearing her bathrobe and flannel pajamas."

"She loves to embarrass us… it's like her favorite past time." Kristina chortled as she took another handful of Doritios.

"The enjoyment she gets from that is kind of scary…" the eldest raised a knowing brow.

"Hey!" Molly raised her brow with a laugh, "At least you didn't have to deal with her in your teenage years!"

"Yeah…" Sam watched as Kristina and Molly laughed amongst each other before their eyes rested on her. Her face must have shown what she was feeling because immediately her sister's expressions fell.

"Oh, Sam… I didn't mean…" The youngest Davis girl immediately felt guilty.

"It's okay, Molly." Sam smiled softly, grasping her sister's hand, "It's really okay. I know what you meant."

"No, Sam… I should have never said that…"

"Hey… hey, you guys..." Sam looked between her sisters, "this isn't us! We can tell each other anything and be ourselves. I know that you didn't mean anything by it." She reassured before taking a deep breath, "But the truth is… I spend a lot of time wondering what it would have been like to have Mom when I was a teenager."

"Not fun." Kristina responded sarcastically with wide eyes before breaking into a chuckle.

"Well, that's not completely true…" Molly looked between both of her sisters with a smile.

"The fact of the matter is that my life has made me who I am and has taught me the right lessons that I needed to get to this point. And I wouldn't trade that for anything because now I'm here… with you guys. I have my beautiful little boy. And I have my mom… Danny has his grandma. This is the way it was supposed to be, you know?" '

"Yeah," Kristina nods wistfully, "I know exactly what you mean. Life kind of has a way of turning out…"

"That's right." In spite of her smile, Sam quickly swiped away a tear before going back to the sweet treat she held in her hands.

"You know… that's true…" Molly absent mindedly studied the pile of chips laying in her palm, "About life turning out certain ways and even when you aren't looking for something… it can find you."

"Yeah…" Kristina met Molly's eyes before looking to Sam, "Like love, you know?"

"I know…" Sam nodded knowingly, "I've been there."

"And you never know when you could be there again…" Kristina raised a brow as she munched on her chips, "I never thought that I would have a functional relationship again and…"

Molly and Sam both turned their head swiftly in their sister's direction.

"I knew it!" Molly pointed excitedly, "I knew you had a boyfriend in Greece!"

"Oh God…" Kristina practically shrunk. It wasn't that she didn't want to tell her family about him, she just wasn't sure she was ready to meld her two lives. Or hear the protective rant that her father would for sure embark on.

"Krissy…" Sam tilted her head sadly, "Why didn't you tell us?"

"I don't know," She shrugged, "It's just not that big of a deal, that's all. But what I'm saying is that I didn't really think that I was going to have a relationship… and then… it happened. And I didn't resist it. I opened myself up to it."

"I don't really want to talk about this…" Sam exhaled as she set her candy bar down and stood up to retrieve a drink. She knew where this conversation was headed.

"Sam…"

"Guys this isn't an intervention about my love life. This is supposed to be a girl's night for us to catch up and have fun together."

"We are having fun!" Kristina and Molly both practically exclaimed the proclamation.

"We just want you to be happy!" Molly added.

"I am happy!" Sam wasn't not going to listen to a lecture about what her life was lacking.

"Why are you so resistant to having a relationship. First it was with Lucky and now you're pushing Patrick away…" Her youngest sister was soft with her voice but the words were true and hard.

"Moll… I'm not pushing anyone away. I really am not."

"Then what do you call lying and avoiding someone. Driving them away…"

"I am not driving anyone away, Krissy!" Sam felt her patience wearing thin as the tables had quickly turned from good fun to an intervention and she wasn't enjoying herself.

"Sam…" Molly tried to be the buffer but her sister quickly resisted.

"Listen," Sam sighed as she re-took her seat and criss-crossed her legs in front of her, "You both need to understand that I'm completely happy with my life the way that it is right now. I have a beautiful home and a comfortable life with my son. I don't need anything else."

"We know that…" Kristina smiles, "I'm sorry if you feel like we're ganging up on you or something."

"I don't feel like that…" She sighs in defeat, a small smile forming on her lips, "I'm sorry, too. I'm probably overreacting… I just…"

"You don't know what to do." Molly finished her sister's sentence bringing about a knowing gaze from the eldest Davis girl.

"Pretty much."

"Well, lucky for you… your sisters are both here and ready to help you figure it out!" Kristina scoots closer to Sam, wrapping an arm around her, "So spill."

"Yeah," Molly's eyes brighten, "Spill!"

* * *

The credits began to roll and Alexis looked down at her lap and the little boy that was resting his sleeping head there. Brushing his wavy light brown hair back gently with just the tips of her fingers, she smiled dotingly. They had watched Finding Nemo in its entirety and when it was finished, Danny insisted on also watching Toy Story which only last about 15 minutes before he had made his way to her lap and fell asleep. She decided to finish it anyway.

If there was one thing that Alexis needed to relax and relieve stress, she had to look no further than the pajama clad little boy in her lap, clutching his stuffed "Nemo" as he slept. The night had been wonderful. They ate popcorn and drank root beer floats and Danny told her all about what he did that day in pre-school right down to who got in trouble for picking their nose. It was perfect and just what she needed to lift her spirits after a long week.

There was a lot on her mind, she couldn't deny that. But part of her didn't want to think about it anymore. She was making herself a promise, to just enjoy her family and these wonderful moments with the ones she loves. That's all that matters anyway.

Alexis grimaced as she brought a free hand up to massage the kink that had been in her neck for the better part of the evening. It was a regular occurrence these days and it didn't seem like any amount of stress relief would fix that, nor the headache that accompanied it. Tilting her head back, she caught a shadow stepping up onto the porch.

"A quarter to ten, kind of late for visitors…" She gathered from her wrist watch before observing the figure moving closer to the door before lightly knocking.

"Of course…" Alexis sighed as she carefully lifted Danny's head from her lap and maneuvered herself to stand. The little boy stirred as she covered him with the blanket from the back of the sofa.

"Nemo…" Danny mumbled, followed by a yawn as he snuggled himself further into the sofa.

"He's right there…" Alexis smiled to herself as she kissed his head before the light knock sounded again, "All right… just a minute…"

"Who…" Alexis pulled back the blinds, practically gasping before opening the door.

"Hi, beautiful…"

"Hi!" A bright smile crossed her face and as hard as she tried to stop them, she could feel the familiar sting of tears rushing to her eyes.


	6. Letting Go

**A/N: Another update for this Friday evening. **

**As always, if you read, please leave a review. Reading the reactions is best part of sharing the story! :) **

**Chapter 6: **Letting Go

Sam, Molly and Kristina were practically piled on top of each other on the sectional sofa. The eldest Davis girl was absent mindedly playing with Molly's hair as she spoke.

"It's not that I don't like Patrick…" She sighed.

"What's not to like," Kristina retorted, picking at her the slice of pizza she had just pilled from the pie which was just delivered.

"Exactly." Sam's eyes widened in agreement as she picked a piece of pepperoni from her sister's slice.

"Hey!" She glared, "Get your own!"

"Get your own," Sam mocked playfully as she did just that.

"Finish what you were saying, Sam…" Molly sat up to join in the latest installment of eating.

"Patrick is great. But so is Lucky," Sam smiled, "Maybe I just don't want to force Patrick into relocation…"

"Oh my gosh, Sam!" Molly quickly exclaimed, "Lucky did not leave town because of you! He left with his mom so that he could help her recover. Why would you say that?"

"I don't know," She shrugged, "I didn't give him any good reason."

"So, what _was_ the reason?" Kristina had wondered for a while what lead her sister to abruptly end things with Lucky after she had found out that they were talking again. She wondered the same thing about Patrick.

"It's all the same reason…" Sam shrugged and she fought the tears as she threatened to erupt.

"Sam?" Molly watched her sister carefully, "What do you mean?"

Sam looked between her two sisters and sniffed her tears, "It was great… for a while…with both of them."

"And?"

"Lucky and I will always have a connection…" Sam wiped a tear, "He's a great guy and he has helped me through some really hard times in my life. And now… with Danny… we really matched up pretty well. Aiden and Danny loved playing together and we would go to the park or to his apartment and the boys would play. It was really nice."

"And Patrick?" Kristina questioned as she set her plate on the table.

"With Patrick… it's wonderful," She smiled wistfully, "There's something really special about him. He's so gentle, but yet furiously protective of those he loves. He's a medical genius and completely sure of it, yet he's humble and truly works to save lives because he feels it's his civic duty."

"He's a pretty great guy," Molly smiles and all three agree.

"So what do you mean, Sam?" Kristina pushed again, studying her sister carefully, "What do you mean when you say it ended for all the same reasons?"

"It was too good…" Sam's voice waivered as tears filled her eyes. "Everything fit together so perfectly. It was like having a family and I just… I can't imagine having a family with anyone other than Jason."

"Oh, Sam…" Kristina, too, was growing teary as she listened to her older sister's confession.

"That was our dream, you know?" She accepted a tissue from Molly, "I never wanted that with anyone else but Jason… I dreamt of our family and raising our children together and now he's gone and we will never have that. I just can't imagine having it with anyone else. I feel like I would be dishonoring Jason's memory by sharing our dreams with someone else…"

"Sam…" Molly wiped her own tears, placing a hand on her sister's shoulder.

"Danny… one day when Patrick and I were together with he and Emma… we were at the park and they were playing together and Danny just follows Emma everywhere," She chuckles, "He just loves her. Anyway… Emma was calling for her daddy to fix her kite. It must have just clicked in Danny's head and he asked… he asked Patrick if he could be his Daddy too."

Kristina and Molly's eyes immediately flooded with tears.

"Danny… Danny doesn't know, you know?" She looks between her two sisters, "He knows that Jason is his Daddy… but he doesn't understand why he can't be here."

"Sam, I'm so sorry… that must have been so hard," Molly sniffed her own tears, wrapping an arm around her sister.

"It just hit me." She shrugged, "knocked the wind out of me, actually. The thought of Danny calling someone else other than Jason, Daddy… it just was too much. I couldn't explain it to him. How can I expect my little boy to understand how we could be like a family together with Patrick and Emma, but he still can't have a daddy?"

"I'm so sorry…" Kristina became emotional as she hugged her sister, "I didn't mean to push… I really didn't."

"It's okay." Sam nodded as she wiped her eyes, "I guess I needed to talk about this more than I thought I did."

"Sam, did you say anything to Patrick about it?" Molly questioned softly, "I mean, I'm sure he would understand…"

"He's been through it, Sam…" Kristina reminded softly.

"I know," She nodded, "I just froze I guess."

"I can't even imagine what this must be like for you…" Molly shook her head as Sam hugged her close.

"Me either, but Sam…" Kristina started, drawing her sister's attention, "Just because you can't have the family you dreamt of with Jason doesn't mean that you can't have it at all."

"Kristina's right… maybe you need to create new dreams? Maybe it's time…"

"No, it's not…" Sam got up swiftly, grabbing another tissue as she walked away, "I can't give up on that. I know it's been 3 years… I know that I need to let it go or get over it or whatever."

"Sam, no one expects you to get over losing your husband," Kristina reassured as she rose to meet her sister.

"I can't…" Sam couldn't stop the tears from pouring down her cheeks as both of her sisters embraced her, "I just can't."

* * *

"What are you doing here?" Alexis sniffed as she pulled away from their embrace and looked into his eyes.

"I missed you," Garrett adoringly wiped a tear from her cheek.

"I'm sorry… I don't know why I'm getting so emotional." Alexis chuckled nervously as she tried to contain her tears.

"It's okay, Lex. I'm kind of emotional myself." Garrett confessed as they met eyes, "You are so beautiful."

"Oh, stop…" She looked down at her flannel pajamas and fuzzy slippers.

"All I could think about the whole way here was seeing your gorgeous eyes and that stunning smile," She closed her eyes when he brushed his finger across her lips.

"I thought you were busy…" He could hear the sadness in her voice and it broke his heart.

"Never too busy for you," He countered, leaning in for a kiss, "I'm sorry I made you feel that way."

"You didn't. I… I understand," She nodded and noticed him look past her to the little figure snuggled on the sofa.

"You've got company, hmm?" he gestured to the sofa.

"It's Davis girls night at Sam's…" Alexis drew a deep breath as he wrapped an arm around her, "So Danny and I had our own movie night."

"Sounds pretty perfect." Garrett shook his head, "I can't believe how big he looks. It's only been a month."

"He's growing up so fast." She answered wistfully, resting her head on his shoulder, "Tonight he was talking my ear off about preschool and all of his friends… who got in trouble today. Pretty exciting little life for a 3 year old."

"He's amazing." Garrett sighed, "I've missed him… and Sam"

"They've missed you…" she met his eyes.

"I've missed _you_, Lexie. I'm so sorry…"

"Don't be sorry," Alexis reassured him, placing a finger to his lips, "Just be here, now…"

Garrett stole a kiss once again, only to display a look of worry when they parted, "I was planning on staying here, tonight… but with Danny here, I can just get a room at the Metro-Court."

"Are you kidding me?" Alexis quickly retorted, "Danny will be so excited to see you here in the morning… so will Sam. And if you really think after all this time I'm gonna let you walk out that door tonight and leave me to sleep alone, you've got another thing coming."

"Okay," He chuckles, kissing her again, "I guess that answers my question."

"I'm so glad you're here…" Her voice quivered, she looked deeply into his eyes.

"I love you, Lexie. You are the most important person in my life. You and Sam and the girls and that little boy over there… you mean everything to me."

"You mean everything to me, too." She nodded, running a hand along his cheek, "You're a little scruffy…"

Garrett chuckled, "Yeah… I haven't had anyone to look nice for."

"I like it," She smiled, "I like _you." _

"I like you too," He whispered before leaning in close.

"Mmmm…" Was Alexis' response as Garrett met their lips once again- this time for much longer. She could feel herself losing control, "Garrett…"

"Mmm…" He continued to devour her mouth as she again fell prey to his advances.

"Oh…" Alexis sighed before regaining her wits again, "Garrett… Garrett, stop…"

"What?" Garrett sighed as he leaned back, "What's wrong?"

"I've missed you too…" Alexis smiled, "but, um… before we get… carried away," She giggled as he raised a brow, "There's a little boy that needs to be tucked into bed…"

"Oh…right," Garrett had almost forgotten about Danny sleeping on the sofa. He released Alexis from their embrace, allowing her to head to the sofa. Watching as she struggled to gather Danny so that she could lift him, he stopped her, "Hold on...let me get him."

"Hmm?" She looked up at him curiously.

"I've got him." Garrett smiled as he noticed Danny snuggling his favorite Nemo, "He's getting heavy. Besides, I've missed him… and his Nemo"

Alexis watched lovingly as Danny was lifted into the arms of his grandfather, "He never sleeps without it." They exchange a smile as Danny stirred, snuggling into the crook of his neck.

"Papa…" He murmured with a yawn.

"Papa's here, buddy…" Garrett smiled, "Let's go to bed."

Alexis wiped a tear as it escaped her eye and followed them down the hall.


	7. Fine

**A/N: Happy Saturday. :) A quick update this evening. I went on a ramble and then decided to break it into two chapters. **

**Editing is shotty... i'm too anxious for that tediousness. LOL. Please review. :)**

**Chapter 7: **Fine

Sam opened her eyes, shifting them between her two sisters that lay sleeping on either side of her. She carefully rose from her spot and headed towards the French doors that led to her back deck. Quietly, she opened them and stood in the threshold, inhaling the crisp night air.

They had all fallen asleep around 2 after hours of talking and crying…and eating. They went from the intervention of Sam's love life to the trials and tribulations of each of the younger girls, ending with Molly's fear of moving away. Sam was surprised, as she knew that Molly had been waiting on pins and needles to know whether or not she was accepted to NYU. It was what Molly said that worried her, though. That she couldn't explain it, but there was something about leaving home right now that didn't feel right.

The last thing that Sam wanted was for Molly to ignore her instincts, but passing up a possible opportunity to attend NYU because she was afraid to move away was not the way she wanted her sister to begin her adult life. She wanted more than anything for Molly to follow her dreams and succeed, that's all she wanted for everyone she loved.

It was sometimes easier to dream about what she wanted for her family and her loved ones than herself. Not sometimes, always. But the fact of the matter was, she wanted things for herself, too. She wanted to be happy.

"Sam?" Kristina called quietly as she approached, prompting her sister to turn around, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, Krissy… I'm fine." She wrapped an arm around her. "My sofa not comfortable enough?"

"Huh? Oh… no it's really comfortable. I just woke up and you weren't there…"

"I'm sorry… I didn't mean to scare you."

"You didn't scare me. I'm just a little worried about you… I'm sorry we upset you tonight."

"You didn't, Krissy…" Sam reassured as she hugged her sister close, "You really didn't. I've been dealing with all of that in my own head for a while now. It was nice to get it out."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure… I don't know what I would do without my sisters. You guys are the best."

"You're the best, Sam…" Kristina returned her sister's hug, "You're the best thing that ever happened to our family. We wouldn't be the Davis girls without you…"

"Well, that's sweet but I think it's pretty accurate to say that we wouldn't be the Davis girls without mom…" Sam chuckled.

"You're right." Kristina laughed, "Can't dispute that. We got pretty lucky in the mom department."

"She's amazing," Sam agreed, resting her head atop her sister's, "We couldn't have asked for a better mom."

"Sam?"

"Yeah?"

"Is she okay?" Kristina lifted her head and looking into her sister's eyes.

Sam could see the concern in her face, "I think so… why would you ask that?"

"Nothing…" the younger shook her head, looking away.

"Kristina?"

"It's nothing…" She smiled back to her sister but the facade wasn't going to work, "You haven't noticed anything strange at all?"

"I don't think so… how do you mean?" Sam tried to think back to recent encounters with her mother.

"I'm just overreacting. I haven't been home in so long, I'm just paranoid."

"Paranoid about what?"

"Sam…" Kristina felt the tears welling in her eyes as she looked into her sister's face, "Is mom sick?"

"Not that I know of," Sam, too, was now growing concerned, "Kristina, where is this coming from?"

"It's probably not even a big deal… she said that it wasn't anything to worry about."

"What's not a big deal?" She watched as her sister looked away, "Please… tell me what's going on."

"I haven't been sleeping that well since I've been back… I think I just can't get used to the time change…"

"Yeah…"

"Well, my first night home… I woke up and I went to the kitchen to get water and mom was outside walking around the yard in the dark."

"Was she okay?"

"I didn't let her know that I saw her… I just thought maybe she needed some time alone." Kristina shrugged, "But then last night…"

"What?" Sam prodded her sister to continue.

"I was walking by her room in the middle of the night and I heard her gasp… like she was gasping for air and then when I peaking inside she was using her inhaler."

"Her inhaler?" Sam hadn't seen her mother use that in a long time, but then again she didn't spend much time with her in the middle of the night.

"It just immediately reminded me of when she was sick… when she had cancer… and…" Kristina could no longer hold back her tears as her sister hugged her tightly.

"Kristina, mom isn't sick…she's been under a little stress recently and she probably had an anxiety attack." Sam reassured as her sister released from their embrace and wiped her tears.

"That's what she said happened…"

"See?"

"You believe her?" Kristina raised a brow and watched as Sam's shoulders fell slightly, "Exactly."

"Listen, Kristina… if mom was sick…" She paused, "She wouldn't keep that from us. She's been through it before and she would know, she would know if something was wrong. Besides, she gets regular check-ups with her oncologist and they have never found even a trace of cancer since she received treatment all those years ago."

"I don't know…" Kristina shook her head, "I'm still worried."

"I'm sure she's fine…" Sam countered her sisters skeptical face, "Really, I am."

* * *

Garrett was awakened by a faint clicking sound, he rolled over and found the right side of the bed to be empty. His eyes searched the dark room, "Lex…?"

There was the clicking sound again and then he noticed the light shone under the bathroom door, "Alexis?" He didn't want to yell, but he quickly got up and made his way to the bathroom, lightly knocking, "Lex?"

"Yeah?"

He could hear her voice was strained, and soon heard the clicking noise again. An inhaler. He quickly opened the door to find her sitting on the edge of the bathtub, using the suspected device, "Alexis, are you all right?"

She nodded with a small smile, "I'm fine."

"You don't seem fine," He went to her, "What are you doing in here?"

"I didn't want to wake you…" She drew a labored breath, "Obviously, that worked out well."

"You're soaking wet…"

Alexis watched as he observed her damp clothes and placed a hand to her chest, "What are you doing?"

"I can see your heart beating right through your chest, Alexis."

"I'm fine!" She scoffed, pushing his arm away, "Come on, let's go back to bed."

"Lex…" Garrett watched as she rose from her seat and practically fell backwards. He quickly stood to catch her, "What the hell is going on!?"

"Garrett I am fine." She looked at him seriously, "Whatever is in this stupid inhaler makes me a little lightheaded after I use it. Please let's just go back to bed."

Watching as she walked out of the bathroom, he soon followed, observing as she tucked the inhaler in her nightstand drawer and got back into bed.

"What?" Alexis sighed, resting her head against the pillow.

"Nothing…" He shook his head before climbing into the bed beside her. He lay with his head on the pillow, looking up at the dark ceiling, "How long has this been going on?"

"Garrett…"

"No, Lex." He turned over, propping himself on one elbow, "How long?"

"Not long…" she answered flatly, "It's just anxiety."

"Alexis…"

"It only really happens at night… I only need the inhaler at night."

"What happens?" his voice was softer now and she could see he was concerned. The last thing she wanted.

"Nothing, come on…" She turned over, smiling as she placed a hand on his cheek, "I am fine, Garrett. I'm a lung cancer survivor. I need an inhaler sometimes… it's normal."

"Do you always sweat like this?" He raised a brow as he lifted her damp pillow.

"No…" She defended, only to retreat, "Not always…"

"Alexis!" He paused, regaining composure, "I mean… I don't want to scare you but it's obvious that there is something wrong, here."

"Garrett, I'm fine. I would know if there was something wrong… I know my body." The truth was, she thought she knew her body but over the past few weeks, she wasn't so sure.

"Have you been to a doctor?" He wasn't going to give this up.

"Gar-"

"Alexis…" He warned.

"No, I haven't. And I really don't think that it's necessary."

"Humor me."

"Please, can we just go back to sleep?" With that she rolled over to face the window where the moonlight was casting a blue light on the shade.

Garrett sighed before moving closer and wrapping an arm around her waist, "I'm sorry…"

"It's all right."

"I love you…" He kissed her neck.

"Love you, too."


	8. Home

**A/N: ****Nothing remedies a crappy day better than some writing therapy. Here's chapter 8... don't forget to leave me a quick review- even if it's one word. Every little bit helps better the story. **

**Oh... and editing... wait what's that again? Sorry... **

**Chapter 8:** Home

Morning couldn't come soon enough as Garrett spent the rest of the early morning hours lying awake in bed beside Alexis. He couldn't get his mind off of the night's events and couldn't shake his guilty feelings. If she was right and it was anxiety, he was to blame for that. He left and left her to trust him enough to let him be so far away for so long… it was no wonder that she was having anxiety attacks.

It was only a little before 6 when he decided to get out of bed and make a pot of coffee and eventually a little breakfast. He knew Sam would be bringing the girls back and he thought it would be a good idea to make a full breakfast for everybody. They probably had been living off of cheerios and pop-tarts while he'd been gone.

Chuckling to himself, he took a sip of his steaming mug of coffee before attending to the bacon that was frying before him. A glance at his watch brought about surprise when he realized it was already almost 8:00.

"Time sure flies when you're having fun…" Garrett shook his head.

"Papa?!"

He turned to the small voice standing in the doorway to the kitchen, clutching his Nemo and looking pensively in his direction, "Good morning little buddy!"

"Papa!" Danny's face lit up as he ran into Garrett's open arms, "You comed home?!"

"Yeah…" Garrett closed his eyes as the little boy wrapped his tiny arms around his neck, "I'm home."

Danny was still smiling when he leaned back from their embrace, "Gwamma sweeping."

"I know…" Garrett nodded, mocking the little boy's whisper, "We're gonna let her sleep in this morning, okay?"

"'Kay." Danny nodded as Garrett set him back on the floor with a kiss to his cheek before going back to tend to the breakfast. "Papa?"

"Yeah, bud." Garrett acknowledged him while continuing to work.

"You yook funny…" Danny made a contorted and rather confused face while looking up at his grandfather.

"I do, huh?" He chuckled, running a hand along his bearded face.

"Yeah." The little boy nodded, "Too prickly."

"Okay… I'll try to take care of that for you…" Garrett chuckled to himself. Out of the mouths of babes. After tending to his cooking, he glanced over to where the refrigerator door had suddenly opened and found Nemo laying on the floor in front of it. "Danny?"

No response.

Garrett set the kitchen towel down and stepped over to the fridge to look on the other side of the door where he found his grandson, climbing up the shelves in reach of the milk, "Danny, what are you doing?"

"Nuffing…" His eyes shifted in his grandfather's direction before being abruptly lifted from his adventure.

"Since when do you climb in the refrigerator?" Garrett was slightly traumatized, envisioning the whole device toppling on top of the 3 year old, "You can't do that… you'll get hurt."

"I'm firsty…" Danny replied innocently as he picked Nemo up from the floor, "I want meewk."

"Well, you just need to ask and I will get it for you," Garrett shook his head as he retrieved the half gallon and closed the refrigerator. He noted the child lock hanging from the handle, "I guess now I know what that's for…"

"Ca' I hab meewk pwease?" Danny tilted his head curiously, before pointing inside the cupboard, "In dat cup."

"This one?" Garrett placed his hand on a blue and green striped cup, Danny shook his head.

"No, dat one…" He pointed again.

"This red one?" He tried again and Danny shook his head, pointing one more time.

"Dey-ah! Dat one!"

Garrett followed his point to the shelf above the sippy-cups that held an array of Alexis' travel coffee mugs, "Those are grandma's…"

"Nuh-uh," He shook his head, "Dats mine. Fuh coffee."

"You don't drink coffee!" Garrett laughed, "You're three!"

"I put meewk in dey-ah?" Danny answered innocently, the pitch of his voice rising slightly.

"You're full of it." Garrett laughed as he retrieved the blue and green striped cup and poured the milk inside, "This is the cup you get, okay?"

"Oh… kay…" Danny surrendered, accepting it from his grandfather, "Tank you."

"You're welcome." He smiled, watching as Danny happily turned around and climbed onto a chair at the table.

"What ahw you makin'?" Danny asked curiously between sips of milk.

"Some breakfast," His grandfather smiled, "What would you like?"

"Cheewios!" The little boy smiled, prompting a head shake and laugh from the older man at the stove.

"I'll make you whatever you want… I've got some pancakes?" Garrett raised a brow and watched as Danny shook his head.

"No. Dust cheewios!"

"He's easy to please…" Alexis' voice commanded their attention as she entered with a smile at seeing her two favorite boys spending time together.

"Gwamma! You waked up!" Danny smiled as he hopped off of his seat and scurried over to her for a morning hug.

"I _woke_ up. Yes," She smiled as she lifted him into her arms and showered him with kisses, "Good morning, lovebug."

"Mowning!" Danny smiles before slyly pointing in Garrett's direction, "Papa's heeya…"

"I know," Alexis chuckles, kissing Danny again, "Were you so surprised to see Papa this morning?"

"Yep!" He nodded as his grandmother set him back in the chair, "He's makin bweh'fass!"

"Mmm… it smells delicious," Alexis saunters to Garrett at the stove, wrapping her arms around his waist upon her arrival, "How long have you been up?"

"Not long…" He observed the various prepared items scattering the counter, "Well… I mean, a couple hours."

"A couple _hours?_" She looks at the clock, "It's only a little after 8…"

"Couldn't sleep…" He shrugs.

"Well, thank you for making breakfast. The girls will be happy when they get here…" She closed her eyes, resting her head on his upper back.

"I hope you're hungry…" Garrett raised a brow, turning to meet her hug.

"In a little bit. You know me… coffee first." She kissed him before breaking away and greeting the coffee pot. She glanced over her shoulder to Danny, who was sitting on his knees at the table happily drinking his milk, "What would you like for breakfast, honey-bun? Papa made some wonderful pancakes over here…"

"Cheewios." Danny replied, wide-eyed.

Alexis cradled her cup of coffee and rested against the counter, "I think you should eat the breakfast that Papa made today… we don't get home cooked breakfast very often."

"I yike pantakes…" The little boy replied.

"Would you like some?" His grandmother raised a brow, watching until he nodded, "Okay, then."

"Boy, is he like you or what?" Garrett rolled his eyes as he dished out the last two pancakes, "Stubborn as a mule."

"Hey! Watch it!" She chuckled as she prepared Danny's plate, "I know someone else who's pretty stubborn, too."

"His mother," Garrett chuckled as he leaned over and stole a kiss before watching her deliver Danny's breakfast.

The little one held up his cup, "Mowah meewk pwease?"

"Breakfast first…" She set his plate down, "Danny, did you go potty this morning?"

"Yes," He nodded as he dug the fork into his pancake, "In yuh baffwoom. I wash my hands! Smell!"

Alexis laughed as he stuffed his hand in her face and she could indeed smell the fresh lavender soap from her bathroom, she kissed it, "You are such a good boy."

"He's changed so much…" Garrett shook his head as Alexis rejoined him at the counter, picking up her mug of coffee, "so grown up…"

"I know," He wrapped an arm around her and she sighed, "I feel like he's learned something new every time I see him now that they've moved out."

"I bet… um, so, when did he learn to climb in the refrigerator?" He raised a brow and she laughed.

"Did you forget to lock it?"

"Ahem, yes, I realized that once I found him dangling from the shelves." Garrett chuckled.

"That just started… as soon as he got tall enough to reach the handles he decided to help himself to whatever he wanted." She sipped her coffee, still content to rest in Garrett's arms, "His mother's son."

"Never a risk too great, huh." Garrett smiled, watching as Danny devoured his pancakes, "How did I do on the pancakes? Good?"

"Mmhmm!" Danny's eyes were wide as he nodded with a mouthful.

"Be careful, Danny… chew please." Alexis grimaced as she watched him, "I don't want to do the Heimlich at this hour of the morning."

_"What's that smell?"_

Alexis turned towards the doorway when she heard Kristina's voice ringing through the house and the patter of more than one pair of feet. She leaned past Garrett and watched when her daughters entered.

Molly was the first to notice and gasped at Garrett's presence, "Oh my Gosh!"

"What?" Sam questioned, noticing Danny as she entered, "Hey sweetie! Are you eating Pancakes?"

"Yeah!" Danny nodded and watched as his mother spotted he special guest, "Papa!"

"Oh my god! Hi!" A huge smile crossed Sam's face as she met her father in a hug.

"Hey, you…" Garrett hugged her tight before leaning back.

"I didn't know you were here… I mean- what are you doing here?" Sam shook her head with a laugh, "I wasn't expecting..."

"This wasn't really a… planned trip. I just missed everyone too much to stay away."

"He showed up last night…" Alexis chimed in.

Garrett hugged Sam's shoulders, before looking to the other two Davis women, "Girls… good to see you."

"It's so good to see you, Garrett…" Molly smiled.

"You two Molly… you girls look as beautiful as ever."

"Sure… we were up most of the night eating…" Kristina rolled her eyes, laughing.

"Sounds like you had fun, then!" Alexis' face had brightened two shades since her daughters arrived.

"We did…" Sam looked amongst her sisters, "I really needed it… we had a great time."

"So great that Kristina wants to stay home for good, right?"

"Mom…" Kristina sighed as her mother approached and wrapped her arms around her.

"I just love you, that's all." Kissing her head, leaned back still hugging her shoulders, "And to whoever was wondering what the smell was, that would be your breakfast that Garrett prepared especially for you."

"And me!" Danny exclaimed, prompting his mother to step over to the table and hoist him in the air. "Momma!"

"Mommy missed you!" Sam smiled as she kissed his cheeks.

"You miss Papa?" Danny smiled.

"Yeah…" Sam nodded, hugging her son close; she met eyes with her father from where he stood across the room, "I missed Papa…"

* * *

Everyone was still gathered at the Lakehouse as mid-afternoon rolled around. Kristina and Molly were seated on the sofa, looking through pictures from Greece that were on Kristina's iPad while Danny and Garrett sat on the floor playing legos, which Danny couldn't wait to share with him.

Alexis smiled as she watched the interaction from the dining room table, before noting Sam looking blankly into the distance.

"Honey?" She waited but no response, "Sam? Honey?"

"Hmm…" Sam practically shook herself from her stare to rest upon her mother, "You say something?"

"Yeah… What's going on?" Alexis narrowed her eyes as she studied her.

"Nothing," She protested fervently and Alexis knew it was the furthest from the truth. "I'm just tired. We didn't get much sleep last night."

"Oh… well why don't you rest a little? Danny's fine with us…"

"No, I'm fine…" She stood, glancing towards her son and father before heading out to the porch.

Garrett watched as Alexis followed suit, not before giving him a reassuring nod.

"Hey…" She placed a hand on her daughters back, "You know you can talk to me about anything…"

"Of course, I know that…" Sam turned, meeting eyes with her mother, "I'm fine, though."

"Okay… you might be fine but you can't dispute that you have something on your mind…"

"Maybe." She shrugged, walking to the edge of the deck where she rested her mug of tea on the railing.

"Honey…"

"Mom, I'm okay…." Sam smiled as she turned around, hugging her mug in front of her, "I just… I do have a lot on my mind."

"All right… I'll leave it alone…" Alexis glanced back inside before moving closer to her daughter, "He's really loving having his Papa home, isn't he?"

"Yeah…"She nodded, "Danny's really missed him."

"I know…"

"He doesn't understand why Papa's here, and then he's gone and then back again…" Sam sighs, turning back to look over the railing, "He's not the only one."

"What?" Alexis tried to make out what she said but it was definitely meant to be kept to a mumble.

"Nothing."

"Sam… are you upset…?"

"No," She turns back to face her, "I'm not really upset… I guess you could say I'm a little confused and maybe disappointed."

"About?"

"About this," She gestures to the house, "So he's just gone for a month without much explanation and then just comes back last night on whim and what? It's supposed to be like nothing ever happened?"

"I didn't say that…"

"I just would like some answers. I would like to know if I'm going to have to explain to my son in a few weeks why his Papa left again; while he's crying in the middle of the night."

"Sam… I…."

"No, it's not you…" Sam sighs, massaging her fore head with one hand, "I'm sorry. I know that you're in a tough position here… "

"What I was going to say is that I think you should talk to him…" Alexis reached out, running her hand along her daughter's soft brown hair, "He needs to know how you feel."

"Yeah, but don't you feel that way too?" Sam tilted her head, studying her mother carefully. "Doesn't it bother you that he just showed up here last night without any warning when your birthday was just five days ago and he couldn't be bothered to come home?"

"Sam…" Alexis looked away, "I don't know… I'm really trying, here."

"That's the problem, mom. You shouldn't have to try so hard. This isn't fair to you. You're having night sweats and panic attacks, while he's just doing whatever it is that he's doing without a care in the world." Sam watched her mother's face fall.

"Kristina told you…" She let out a breath and rolled her eyes, "She overreacted a little when she saw me using my inhaler."

"She overreacted?" Sam raised a brow, "What about when you almost passed out at Kelly's the other day?"

"I was a little lightheaded, Sam…" She dismissed her daughter because, frankly, she was tired of hearing it.

"I don't mean to harp on you…" She reached out, placing a hand on her mother's arm, "all you need from me is more reasons to have an anxiety attack. All I'm saying is that I worry about you and I resent the fact that my father just does whatever he pleases and leaves you here to deal with it."

"I have nothing to deal with… it's his life and his problems that he's handling."

"Maybe… but it's not easy to be in a relationship with someone while they are far away. And it's not easy to sit back and trust someone that left you 35 years ago without another word." Sam was being blunt, but it was true, "Considering the history, mom… it's not fair."

"Life's not fair, Sam…" Alexis sighed, giving her daughter a knowing glance, "Honestly, I'm really fine and I'm not even sure that this anxiety problem has anything to do with Garrett being away. It's probably more related to me being old and menopausal than anything else."

"Will you get it checked out, please?" Her daughter's voice was soft, but her eyes were pleading.

"I will…" She reassured, "I was already planning on it so don't worry. I'll make an appointment on Monday. Now will you do me a favor?"

"What?"

"Talk to your father…" Alexis watched as Sam glanced inside at the family that was still happily mingling. ":He loves you Sam… and I know you love him. He needs to know how you feel."

"Yeah… I will." Sam sighed, "I'm sorry for unloading all of that on you and putting you in the middle…"

"Hey…" Alexis smiled as she wrapped an arm around her daughter, "I'm your mother… I'm always in the middle of everything and I wouldn't have it any other way. I love you…"

Resting her head on her mother's shoulder, Sam sighed, "I love you too, mom."


	9. Suspicions

**A/N: ****Thought I would take the chance to update before going back to work tomorrow and life gets busy again. **

**Thank you to all of the readers and reviewers. You all make this worthwhile and I appreciate your enthusiasm. **

**Chapter 9:** Suspicions

Sonny looked over the paper in his hands one more time. As much as he suspected that something was peculiar about Garrett's sudden disappearance, he didn't want to believe that he was involved in anything shady, or dangerous even. A man with a respectable job and a seemingly level head on his shoulders is obviously trying to hide something dangerous or illegal. Sonny was determined to figure out what it was.

"Knock, knock…"

He looked up to find his daughter standing in the doorway, "Hey!"

"Hi…" Kristina smiled as she met her dad in a hug, "Sorry, I'm a little early."

"That's okay. Gives us some time together to catch up," He folded the paper and placed it in the inside pocket of his jacket, "can I get you something to drink?"

"No… I'm okay right now." Kristina looked around the house, "It looks good in here… very cozy."

"Yeah… Olivia…" Sonny chuckled, resting his hands on his hips, "She said the place was cold…"

"Where is Olivia?" Kristina looked around curiously.

"She's in the kitchen… still cooking." Sonny smiled as he and his daughter took seat beside each other on the sofa.

"She's good for you, dad." She smiled, "She's grounded, and loving and practical… you have a son together… and she's not Carly. What more can you ask for?"

Sonny laughed, "You sound like your mother."

"As much as I would like to resist it… the apple doesn't fall very far from the tree." Kristina chuckles, "Besides… mom is usually right. I'm realizing this as I age."

"You're very smart." He praises, "And you're right. Your mother is usually spot on when it comes to life and it's ups and downs."

"I hope so…"

"What do you mean?" he raised a brow.

"Did you know Garrett came home the other night?"

"No…" He averted his eyes uncomfortably, "I didn't know that."

"Yeah… he did. And mom… she was so happy to see him and so was Sam… especially Danny." Kristina trailed off.

"Okay? And?"

"I don't know," She shrugged, "He keeps getting phone calls where he leaves the room… his phone rings and his face practically turns white and he goes outside to take the call."

"Well, people are entitled to their privacy, Kristina."

"I know…I know…" She shrugged again, "I just… I think it's a little strange. Maybe I just haven't been around him enough. Maybe he takes all of his calls outside, I don't know. I just keep getting this weird vibe from him."

"What kind of a vibe?" Sonny looked at her carefully.

"Not like that, dad. Garrett's a good guy. I know that he is." She reassured, "I just am worried that there is more going on with him than he is telling mom. And I think he's keeping it from her because she wouldn't like it."

"You don't think that he's…" Sonny raised a brow and Kristina knew what he was talking about.

"No." She shook her head, "one thing is for sure, he loves mom. I can tell that. And I've never seen mom look at someone the way she looks at him. He would never cheat on her. I think it's something different. Something a little more complicated than that…"

"Oh," Sonny withdrew, falling into his own thoughts before there was commotion coming from the foyer.

"Oh! Dante and Lulu are here!" Kristina bounced up from her chair to great her brother as he entered with a baby carrier hanging from the end of his arm, "Hi!"

"There she is!" Dante smiled as he set the carrier down and took his sister into a tight embrace.

Kristina pulled away and gasped at the wiggly infant smiling in the car-seat, "Hello, Gia!"

"She's been excited to meet her aunt Kristina!" Lulu exclaimed from behind Dante, prompting Kristina to turn and give her a hug.

"I've been so excited to see you all!" She pulled away, admiring her sister in law, "You look absolutely beautiful."

"Thank you… so do you!" Lulu smiled as Kristina turned back to her little neice.

"Okay… I can't wait anymore. Can I take her out?"

"Go ahead!" Dante chuckled as he watched his sister unbuckle and lift the six-month old from her carrier as the baby girl giggled excitedly.

"Aren't you just the cutest little baby girl!" Kristina kissed her cheeks before settling the petite baby in her arms. She couldn't get over how much the little girl resembled her father… right down to her dark brown eyes and full head of dark hair. It had taken Dante and Lulu a long time to recover from the surrogacy debacle with Maxie a few years prior. It wasn't until their doctor approached them with a surgery option that would allow Lulu to carry a child to term, that they decided it was indeed what they wanted. One year later, Gianna Lesley Falconeri was born and she was the apple of the family's eye.

"Sonny… the kids are…" Olivia entered the room with a place of cheese and crackers before spotting the very family she was referring to, standing in the kitchen, "Oh! They're here! Here… take this…"

Sonny grabbed the tray as she practically threw it to him and ran to Kristina.

"Kristina! You look stunning, absolutely stunning," She hugged her, careful of the smiley little girl in her arms.

"Thank you, Olivia. So do you. It's so good to see you."

"You, too, sweetie," Olivia smiled genuinely, "I see you've met our little Gia…"

"Yes… and she's already captured my heart." She hugged her close, "She's so cute."

"She certainly is…" Olivia kissed the baby's cheek which prompted a squeaky giggle. She turned to her son and daughter in law for a kiss and a hug, "Sauce is almost done… but I brought out cheese and crackers if anyone wants…"

"Ma… you want us to eat before dinner?" Dante raised a brow as he made his way into the room and set their things down.

"Special occasion," Olivia reminded before retreating back to the kitchen.

* * *

Alexis sat on the exam table with her legs and arms crossed, growing more uncomfortable by the second. She had to keep fighting the urge to get up, get dressed, and go back to work but she knew she had to stick it out for peace of mind. She couldn't continue to live with the anxiety attacks, or asthma attacks plaguing her. She was running out of patience… and inhalers.

A knock at the door brought her out of her thoughts, "Ms. Davis…?"

"Hi…" Alexis smiled, crossing her arms a little bit tighter. It didn't help matters that her usual doctor was out of town.

"I'm Doctor Simon," The smiling women held out her hand and waited to Alexis to uncross her arms and reciprocate the gesture.

"Nice to meet you," Alexis smiled cordially as they met hands, watching as the doctor turned her attention to the chart in her hands.

"I see you've been having some anxiety attacks?" The doctor took a seat before her on the stool.

"Um… yes…" She drew a breath, "I used to have them… years ago, but then they subsided and now it seems they are back again.."

"Any undue stress recently?"

"Maybe, a little," She shrugged, "I'm really just here because my… um… my family is worried, that's all. Otherwise I would just wait it out. I know that sometimes these things pass…"

"Are you menopausal?"

"Oh, yes." Alexis chuckled slightly at her proclamation.

"That, too, can bring about anxiety, even when women have never before had it…" The doctor flipped through her file, "What happens when you have these anxiety attacks. Does anything trigger them?"

"Well… no. Mostly they happen at night. I've been waking up In the middle of the night very short of breath. I have an inhaler that I use… and that helps a little bit but mostly I think just getting up and walking around helps it pass."

"Okay…" The doctor nodded, glancing down at the chart again, "How long do these usually last?"

"I don't know… fifteen minutes to a half hour." She shrugged, "I try to hold out as long as possible before I use the inhaler…"

"Any other symptoms that occur when this happens?"

Alexis thought for a moment before meeting eyes with the doctor, "I sweat. Substantially."

"Somewhat normal for women in menopause…"

"It's not the same." Alexis reasoned, "This is very different."

"You're a lung cancer survivor…" The doctor made the mention while she continued to peruse the chart.

Alexis felt her mouth go dry, "Yes."

"You've been in remission for almost ten years…." Dr. Johnson nodded impressively, "That's rare. Congratulations."

"Thank… thank you. But you don't think that it could be…"

"I'm going to check it out just to be sure," The doctor smiled as she stood and headed to the sink to wash her hands, "Have you ever been diagnosed with hypotension or borderline hypotension? Low blood pressure…"

"No," She shook her head as the doctor approached and began examining her neck and lymph nodes. She paused, positioning her stethoscope and began taking a pulse.

"Do you ever feel light headed?"

Alexis looked into her eyes for a moment before answering, "Yes. Sometimes."

"Does the shortness of breath happen regularly… more often than just during the anxiety attacks?"

"Yes… but only slightly. I just have to focus and take a deep breath to calm down…"

"Any feeling of a fast or irregular heartbeat? Sensation of it skipping beats at all?"

"Once and a while, yes…"

"You nervous?" The doctor eyed her suspiciously, "Your pulse is a little high…"

"Um… no." Alexis chuckled slightly, "I mean, I am here for anxiety so…"

"Right." Dr. Simon nodded understandably, "Well, your lymph nodes don't seem to be swollen, so that's a good sign. I still would like to send you down for a chest x-ray. Would you have time to do that today?"

"Sure," Alexis nodded, re-crossing her arms as she listened carefully.

"Now," The doctor started as she retook her seat before Alexis, "It's very easy to put the anxiety label on someone who is exhibiting your symptoms…"

"But?" Alexis raised a brow.

"But, given your history and the vitals that we took today… I don't feel comfortable doing that until we have made sure that everything else is fine. Your blood pressure is rather low, we measured today at 102/54."

"Normal is 120/80?" Alexis watched as the doctor nodded.

"And your pulse was a little over 100." The doctor's voice was calm, but from her face Alexis could tell this wasn't the best news, "Granted, all of these symptoms could certainly be attributed to an anxiety disorder."

"Except you don't think that it is…"

"I just would like to rule out all other possibilities before I make that diagnosis. This could very well be a simple fix, if so I will prescribe you a low dose anxiety medication that should help relieve everything that's going on."

"And if it's not…" Alexis watched the doctor carefully, "What could it be?"

"Ms. Davis… I'm not an expert in every area of medicine so I would just be more comfortable referring you for a few simple tests before I impart suspicions on you that may be completely off base. First, I'd like to set you up with an EKG."

"Okay… and then what?"

"Well… depending on the results of the EKG, I will decide how to proceed. Like I said, I am only a primary care physician, so if the results were abnormal I would need to refer you to a cardiologist."

"A cardiologist." Alexis finally exhaled the breath she'd been holding since the doctor began talking, "Okay."

"It's really just a cautionary measure." The doctor reassured, "I would rather cover all of the bases than miss something and misdiagnose you."

"I understand," She forced a smile.

"I'll order the EKG for you to have performed at your convenience, but I would prefer you do it soon so that we can pinpoint the culprit of your symptoms." Dr. Simon patted Alexis's arm in reassurance, "Try not to worry, Ms. Davis. This is all just precautionary."

"Yes, I… I know." Alexis forced a smile, "Thank you."

"Of course. It was very nice to meet you." As the doctor rose to her feet, she shook Alexis hand again, "You can schedule the EKG as you leave today. A nurse will be in shortly to take you down for that x-ray." She smiled before stepping out of the room, closing the door behind her.

* * *

As she entered the house, she could hear laughter coming from down the hall. She quickly folded the large manila envelope she held in her hand and stuffed it into her bag, zipping it shut.

Drawing a deep breath, she finally threw her keys on the table to make her presence known, "Hello?"

"Yayy!" Danny came bounding down the hall and jumped over the two steps, landing on all fours, "Whoa! Hi Gwamma!"

"Hello my little danger seeker…" Alexis raised a brow as she lifted Danny into her arms, "Is that how we come down the stairs?"

"No…" He lowered his head.

"Why not?"

"Buh-cuz you get huwt." He answered shamefully, before his face lit up, "Gwamma! Papa say when you get home we gonna get our pun'kins!"

"Oh, yeah? What about mommy?"

"Yeah, momma too!" He nodded fervently as Garrett descended the steps from the kitchen with a sippy-cup in hand.

"I thought you _needed_ this juice?" Garrett chided as Danny tilted his head over his shoulder with a smile.

"Gwamma's home!" He wrapped his arms around her neck.

"I see that." The older man smiled, as he leaned in and kissed Alexis, "How was your day?"

"Good!" She answered quickly, "I mean… not too busy…"

"Can we go now?!" Danny poked his head in between them.

"We have to wait for your mommy. I thought she'd be here first." Garrett looked past Alexis as Danny took his sippy-cup.

"Fanks, Papa."

"No problem…"

Alexis chuckled at Danny's candidness before kissing the side of his head, "I love you, smooches."

"I yub you mowah!" The little boy's eyes widened as he giggles from the ticklish kisses to his cheeks.

"You do?" She leaned back surprised, "I don't know if that's possible… Did you have a good day with papa?"

"Yep! We pwayed outside in the leafs!"

"In the _leaves_?" Alexis raised a brow in correction of her little boy's grammar, "sounds like you had fun today."

"We did, yep!" He nodded excitedly, "But now we gotsta get owah punkins!"

"I know, but listen we have to wait for mommy… _and_…"

"What?" Danny studied her, doe-eyed.

"Remember I told you we aren't going to carve them tonight…" She watched as his eyes shifted, "Because if we carve them tonight they won't last until Halloween so we have to wait, okay?"

"Okay…" The little boy nodded.

"Hey, Danny…" Garrett pushed away from where he was leaning against the table, "why don't you go to your room and pick up your legos before someone steps on one…?"

"Okay," He nodded as his grandmother kissed his cheek again before setting him on his feet and he scurried off to his room.

"So?" Garrett raised a brow.

"What?"

"How was your appointment?"

Alexis let out a sigh as she then made her way to the sofa, "It was fine… just as I told you. Anxiety."

"And?" He followed her, taking a seat in the armless chair.

"She prescribed me some horse tranquilizers or something… I don't know." She shrugged with a chuckle as she sat back on the sofa.

"That's it, huh?"

"Yep." She eyed him knowingly, "I told you it was nothing."

"Well, anxiety isn't nothing… and on top of that don't you think that they should have referred you to a therapist or something? Maybe so you can learn to cope with this?"

"Garrett…" She sat up, leaning her elbows on her knees, "I am fine. I truly am. Don't worry about me. You're going to give yourself anxiety and then there will be two of us going crazy."

"You're not going crazy..." Garrett scoffed.

"You're right, I'm not." Alexis smiled as she rose from her seat, "I'm going to get changed. Sam should be here any minute."

"Okay…" Garrett nodded as she leaned over and kissed him.

"I'm fine," She smiled before turning and walking towards the hall, drawing a deep cleansing breath once she was out of view. As she entered her room, she heard her phone ringing in her pocket.

"Alexis Davis." She answered.

_"Yes, Ms. Davis? This is Dr. Simon." _

"Oh, yes. Hello." Alexis instinctively crossed her arms in front of her.

_"I'm calling in regards to the x-ray that we performed this afternoon…" _

Alexis was listening, but suddenly a thousand other panicked thoughts began running through her head along with the memories of past x-ray results that weren't favorable.

_"I was wondering if you would be able to come back into the office to discuss this?" _

"Of course…" Alexis trailed off, taking a seat on the edge of her bed, "I can be there tomorrow morning."

_"I would prefer if we could get this taken care of this evening." _

"Oh… well, I don't know…" Alexis swallowed, her eyes resting on the smiling faces of Danny and Sam that rested in the frame on her dresser, "I have plans with my family this evening… I promised my grandson we would pick pumpkins…"

_"Ms. Davis," The doctor began, her voice more serious this time, "I wouldn't be asking you if it wasn't necessary." _

"Okay…" Alexis drew a deep breath before standing, "I'll, uh… I'll be there in 15 minutes."


	10. Hidden Truths

**Chapter 10**

Alexis arrived at the hospital in record time, not even sure exactly how she got there. She had told Garrett that she had to go back to the office to take care of something for an important client. She hated lying… truthfully, she was bad at it. After all the years of pushing away her past and hiding the truth, she was tired of it. She no longer had the energy. But right now, she needed to find it… she had to find the energy.

"Thank you," Alexis smiled, drawing a deep breath as the nurse guided her into the doctor's office, where Dr. Simon stood behind her desk accompanied by a doctor Alexis had never seen before. As usual, they cordially shook hands upon her arrival.

"Ms. Davis…" Dr. Simon pulled her hand away from the greeting and proceeded to introduce her colleague, "This is Dr. Cramer."

"Hello," Alexis nodded as she shook the gentleman's hand and they all had a seat.

"Ms. Davis… as I said on the phone, I looked over your x-rays as soon as they came through this afternoon…"

"Yes?" Alexis knew from experience that when there was more than one doctor for news about an x-ray, it isn't usually favorable.

"You will be happy to know that we did not find any evidence of cancerous masses in either lung."

"Oh, okay…" She continued to study them carefully, watching as they prepared to continue.

"But, the x-ray wasn't completely clear, though…" Dr. Simon rose to her feet and placed the x-ray on the light-box, "Right here is where we may have found the cause of your shortness of breath…"

Alexis narrowed her eyes as the doctor outlined the area around her lungs.

"You seem to be experiencing significant fluid retention in your chest cavity in and around your lungs."

"Isn't that pneumonia?" Alexis observed the doctor's nod before the second doctor spoke up.

"Pneumonia is certainly a possibility… but Dr. Simon did not express that you presented with a a fever or bronchial inflammation? Have you been having any cold-like symptoms?"

"Uh… no…" Alexis cleared her throat, shaking her head, "No, I'm not."

"Very well…" Dr. Cramer nodded as Dr. Simon took her seat.

"I've enlisted Dr. Cramer's assistance in this because he is the cardiologist that I was speaking to you about earlier…" She watched Alexis acknowledge her statement, "Dr. Cramer is the best in this hospital- aside from Dr. Quartermaine, of course."

"Of course…" Alexis nodded, a nervous smile appearing.

"Ms. Davis," Dr. Cramer began, "I know that Dr. Simon discussed having an EKG performed… if you are able to, I would strongly recommend that you allow us to perform that while you're here, tonight. I would also like to follow-up with an echocardiogram if necessary."

"Oh… well." Alexis drew a deep breath, "Will it take long?"

"No… they are both simple tests." The dr. answered, "I will take you directly to the room right down the hall and the technician will be right in. Shouldn't take longer than an hour."

"When do you get the results of this?" Alexis' head was swirling, she wasn't even sure exactly what was going on.

"We will contact you in a day or so to let you know what we found. And you have to remember, there might not be anything to report. If this is pneumonia or a strange build up of fluid around the lungs due to an allergy or medical reaction of some kind, we will be able to treat it and move on."

"You're just trying to rule out something more serious…" She replied, knowingly.

"Yes," Dr. Cramer answered honestly, "When a patient x-ray comes back with fluid around the lungs and chest cavity, we don't take it lightly."

"All right…" Alexis exhaled, "let's get this out of the way then."

* * *

An hour turned into two, and the wait was longer than was originally expected but Alexis finally arrived home- to an empty house. As she set her bag and the keys on the table, she took a glance around the dark room. When the doctor insisted on doing the tests immediately, she had called home and told Garrett that she was stuck at the office. She hated lying, but she didn't need to worry them over nothing. Instead, she let them down as Danny was counting on her coming along on their pumpkin adventure. As the sun had set, she assumed they were probably heading home or about to, probably wondering what she was held up doing.

She took a deep breath and pulled out a bottle of red wine from the cabinet by the table, looking it over quickly, she set it down on the table and instead made her way to the sofa, kicking off her shoes before sitting down.

It had been a long day… and she couldn't help but be a little worried. As she rested her head in her hand, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. The darkness in the room gave a bit of a comfort, a feeling of hiding away from the world for a moment… away from life and it's innate possibilities- good and bad.

The peace was short-lived when she heard the front door open softly.

"Mom?"

Alexis looked up to see Kristina coming in the door, "Kristina… Hi, honey."

"Why are you sitting in the dark?" Her voice was clearly concerned.

"You can turn it on…" Alexis sighed, "Just been a long day. I was sitting for a minute."

"Everything okay?" Kristina turned just one dim light on as she entered the room, setting her purse and keys on the table before joining her mother on the sofa.

"Yeah…" Alexis smiled as she held out her arm for Kristina to join her, "Just tired, sweetie. How was dinner with your dad?"

"It was really nice," She smiled as she snuggled into the crook of her mother's arm, "Gia is just the cutest little thing!"

"She is, isn't she?" Alexis smiled, "She looks like you when you were a baby…"

"You think?" Kristina sat up, giving her mother a surprised look.

"Yes… she's got those chubby little cheeks big brown eyes." Alexis ran a hand down her middle daughter's hair, "And beautiful olive complexion."

"Mom…" She tilted her head adoringly, "I wasn't that cute…"

"Yes you were. You were the cutest baby in the world." Her mother protest as Kristina nestled herself back in her arm.

"Yeah, since Sam and until Molly came along…" She rolled her eyes as they both chuckled.

"All my girls were especially cute babies in their own way," Alexis assured as she hugged her close, "Molly was pretty cute, though… you have to admit."

"Yeah… she had chubbier cheeks than me." Kristina laughed.

"She was overall chubbier than you!" Alexis laughed as she remembered, "And she had littler eyes… like her dad…"

"She still does," Kristina added, "She still looks like her dad."

"All my girls do…" She absent mindedly ran her finger through her daughter's hair.

"You think so?" The young girl questioned, "I think we all look like you. Even Danny looks like you!"

"No!" Alexis protested, "Danny looks like his Dad. He does have Sam's little nose and mouth…"

"We look like you, mom." Kristina declared gently, "That's why we're all so good looking!"

"Oh, stop it…" she laughed, rested her cheek atop Kristina's head.

"I'm serious, mom… you're gorgeous." Her daughter spoke softly as she herself was absently playing with the rings on her mother's hand that rested in hers.

"Well, thank you sweetheart." She kissed her head, "I love you…"

"I love you too..." She wrapped her arms around her mother's mid-section, "I love being here with you."

"Oh, baby. That's the best thing you could ever say to me." Alexis bit her lip, holding back tears, "I love you being here…" She again, kissed her daughter's head, "But I know that you need to go back to Greece, eventually."

"I kind of wish I didn't," Kristina sat up, looking her mother in the eye, "Until I got here… I didn't really know how much I missed it. How much I missed you…"

"Aw, honey…" Alexis smiled through her now brimming tears, "Do you know how precious you are to me?"

"Mom…" Kristina looked away, slightly embarrassed. It was no secret she had put her mother through a lot when she was a teen and through the past few years. She couldn't regret, only learn, and she knew one thing- she was lucky to have her mom.

"My girls… my family." Alexis shook her head as she hugged Kristina close again, "My little Danny and the three of you… you just mean everything to me. You're my life."

"We are so lucky." Kristina sighed as she snuggled close to her, "So lucky. We have the best mom…"

Alexis couldn't say a word, only revel in the words her daughter spoke. They were both drawn to the door when they heard jingling of keys as Sam entered with Molly following close behind. Last to enter was Garrett who was holding a sleeping Danny on his shoulder.

"Hey, you two…" Sam smiled as she made her way to the shelf under the window to retrieve Danny's bag. She stopped, leaning over the back of the sofa to kiss her mother and sister on the cheeks.

"Hi honey," Alexis smiled as she reached up and caressed her daughter's cheek before rising from her seat and heading towards Garrett and Danny who were waiting in the doorway, "Somebody's all tired out from pumpkins…"

"Yeah…" Garrett smiled as Alexis rubbed Danny's back and kissed his cheek, "He fell asleep on the last leg of the hayride."

"Aww… sweetie," Alexis cooed as she kissed the side of the sleeping little boy's head, "I'm sorry I missed it…"

"We are too…" Sam rejoined, hoisting Danny's bag on her shoulder, "Danny missed you."

"I'm sorry…" Alexis turned clearing her throat, "I, uh… I really would have been there if I could… I just had something that I had to take care of at the office."

"I know," Sam smiled, giving her mother a hug, "Don't worry... your house has already been established as next week's pumpkin carving central so you won't miss that one."

"Great," Alexis forced a smile as she broke from their hug and watched her daughter meet up with her father.

"Ok… I better get Charlie Brown, here, home." Sam sighed as she went to take Danny from her father's arms.

"It's all right… I can put him in the car for you."

"Oh… okay…" Sam guided the way, turning to say goodbye to her sisters, "Zoo tomorrow! Don't forget!"

"Oh, tomorrow's Saturday already!" Molly remembered, "Zoo! Are you coming, Mom?"

"Hmm?" She turned, having not heard her daughter.

"To the Zoo!"

"Oh, I don't know…" Alexis shook her head, wrapping an arm around Molly.

"Okay, I'll call you guys in the morning." Sam smiled before opening the door and guiding her father and Danny outside.

"Hey, Mol… So where's my pumpkin? I hope you picked me a…" Kristina started.

"… tall and skinny." Molly nodded, rolling her eyes, "I got the perfect one. They're outside in the back of Garrett's SUV."

"Thank you," Her older sister smiled as she joined her mother and Molly for a group hug, "I wish Sam and Danny lived here…"

"Me, too…" Alexis agreed, "But they need their own space… I can understand that."

"Well, when Molly moves out, it's gonna be awfully quiet around here!" Kristina reminded.

"Well, maybe I won't…" Molly shrugged, prompting her mother to pull away and look her in the eye.

"What?" Alexis furrowed her brow, "You won't move out? What are you talking about?"

"I don't know…" Molly shrugged again as she stepped away from her mom and sister, "I've just been thinking maybe I'll stay home instead of going to NYU and just go to PCU instead…"

"Molly!" Alexis pressed on but Molly turned and headed down the hall.

"I'm going to take a shower…"

Alexis turned swiftly back to Kristina who was looking at her wide-eyed, "What is that all about?"

"I don't know… she was talking like that the other night at Sam's too." Kristina sighed as they both took a seat together on the sofa, "Apparently she doesn't want to go away to college anymore."

"Well, why on earth not!?" Alexis was baffled, her youngest had been waiting on the edge of her seat to find out about her accepted to NYU for months.

"She doesn't want to leave home…" Kristina pulled away from her mother, sitting back to look at her, "I don't know what it is, but she says she has this weird feeling about moving away…"

"Weird feeling?" She raised a brow. How could she have not known that her daughter was having trouble coping with the impending college transition?

"Sam tried to talk to her about it… told her that the last thing she ever wants her to do is to ignore her instincts but that she needs to determine whether it's an instinct or just fear taking over."

Alexis smirked, "Sounds like…"

"Something you would say?" Kristina nodded, "Don't worry, I told her that."

"Good girl…" Alexis smiled, hugging Kristina close, "Well, I will definitely have a longer talk with her about that. But I got the impression she wasn't in the mood to do so, tonight."

"I don't think so, no…" Kristina smiled before leaning up to kiss her mom's cheek and rising from the sofa, "I'm going to get my pajama's on. I'm exhausted and so full of spaghetti."

"Okay, honey." Her mother smiled as she watched her walk away. Glancing over to the table to noticed the unopened bottle of wine that she had pulled out when she arrived home, "That sounds perfect right about now…"

"Sure does…" Garrett smirked as he entered the house, closing and locking the door behind him. They met with an embrace and a kiss, "So… did everything go okay?"

"Hmm?" Alexis immediately grew nervous, looking at him curiously.

"At the office…"

"Oh! Yes… yes, everything is fine…" She reassured as she broke from their embrace and retrieved goblets as Garrett took over with opening the bottle of wine.

"Danny picked you a pumpkin…" Garrett smiled as Alexis looked at him lovingly.

"He did?"

"Before he even picked his own…" He shook his head with a chuckle, "The first order of business was to make sure he got you the perfect pumpkin. We had to write your name on it and everything…"

"Aw…" Alexis looked away as Garrett filled her goblet. She made her way towards the sofa, taking a seat, "I'm really sorry that I wasn't there. He wasn't upset was he?"

"No…" He shook his head as he joined her on the sofa, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "He understood."

"I don't want to miss things like that…" Alexis shook her head as she focused on the goblet in her grasp, "Life's too short, you know?"

"Yeah…hey…" Garrett studied her carefully, "You okay?"

"I'm fine," She nodded, forcing a smile as she met his eyes and they kissed, "I'm just tired."

"Lex…" Garrett looks at the hand holding her wine goblet in front of her, "What's wrong with your hand?"

"Hmm?" She was caught off guard and then realized he was referring to the band-aid and bruise that was beginning to form on the top of her hand, "Oh, this? It's just from earlier… from my doctor appointment… they took blood, that's all."

"For anxiety?" Garrett was suddenly nervous.

"She just wanted to rule out other causes… no big deal…" Alexis shrugged.

"From the top of your hand? That's a little strange…" He raised a brow, looking more carefully at it before she switched the glass to her other hand and strategically crossed her arms.

"Yeah… they did." She sighed before sipping her wine and narrowing her eyes to him, "Anybody ever tell you you're nosey?"

"Hey…" He chuckled slightly before realizing she may be serious, "What's the matter with you?" He gave her a perplexed look, to which she relaxed and smiled.

"Nothing… I'm sorry. I'm just tired and I guess a little grumpy. It's been a long day."

"I suppose it has… what do you say we go to bed?" Garrett smirked before they kissed again.

"That sounds like a great idea…" Alexis smiles before kissing him again before they rose from the sofa together and disappeared down the hallway.


	11. Another Long Day

**A/N: ****Happy Weekend! I just want to take a moment and thank all my loyal readers and reviewers for taking the time to read this story and give me your feedback. This is so much fun for me... and you are why. **

**Here's the next chapter. :) **

**Chapter 11: **Another Long Day

Alexis was exhausted. Completely exhausted- physically, but mentally was another story. She could not shut her brain off for more than five minutes and it was making it impossible to sleep. Glancing to the clock that read 5:45am, she finally concurred that getting out of bed and starting the day was her only option.

Carefully maneuvering herself out of bed, she watched to make sure that she wasn't disturbing Garrett. She couldn't help but smile, having his warm body next to hers was the only thing offering her any comfort through the night. She just wished that she was able to completely enjoy it without having the stress of her own health looming overhead. Having him there was exactly what she needed.

She made her way to the kitchen and prepared the morning coffee, enjoying a cup as the sun rose. Before she knew it, a few hours had passed and the sunlight was streaming through the window, bringing to life the new day ahead. She glanced at the clock to note it was almost 7:30. There was still coffee to enjoy… a shower could wait.

Molly entered the sunlit kitchen and noticed her mother seated at the kitchen table, resting her head on her fist, "Mom?"

"What are you doing up so early?" Alexis didn't miss a beat as she looked up to notice her youngest in the doorway. "You do know it's Saturday…?"

"Not tired," She shrugged as she took a seat at the table across from her mother, "Why are you up?"

"Not tired," Alexis shrugged with a smile, before reaching out and clasping her daughter's hand, "Wanna talk?"

"Not really…" Molly looked away before getting up and retrieving cereal and milk from the cupboard and refrigerator.

"Okay," Alexis nodded as she leaned back in her chair and nursed the cup of coffee in front of her, "You've been kind of quiet lately…"

"I know," She shrugged as she retook her seat, this time with her bowl of cereal, "I'm fine."

"Are you?" Her mother raised a brow before softly caressing her cheek.

Molly took a deep breath, "Yeah, mom. I am… really."

"You know that I am here, right?"

"Of course I do," Molly felt a twinge of guilt for making her mother feel as though she didn't know that she could talk to her, "I'm sorry, mom. I just… I don't know. I don't want to talk because I don't really know what's bothering me."

"Well…" Alexis smiled as she covered Molly's hand with her own, "I love you and I have complete faith in you in whatever you decide to do."

"Thank you…" Molly smiles, "I love you, too, Mom."

"My baby…" She coos as she moves her chair slightly and wraps her arms around her youngest daughter before they were interrupted by the ring of Alexis' phone, "It's not even 8:00!"

Molly watched as her mother looked skeptically at the number displaying on the screen, "Who is it?"

"Hello?" Alexis shrugged as she answered.

_"Hello, I'm calling for Alexis Davis." _

"This is Alexis."

_"Ms. Davis, this is Dr. Cramer…" _

"Oh…Um…" She cleared her throat before smiling to Molly, "Hold on, just a minute please. I have to take this in my office… I'll be back."

"Okay," Molly nodded as she watched her mother leave before going back to her morning cereal.

"Dr. Cramer… I'm sorry about that." Alexis readdressed the doctor as she made her way into her office, closing the door behind her.

_"Not a problem. I'm calling in regards to yesterday's EKG." _

"Yes?" Alexis swallowed hard, folding her arms as she leaned against the desk.

_"I was wondering if you were available to come in this morning so I can perform the echocardiogram that I spoke about yesterday." _

"Is there something wrong?"

_"I can discuss the EKG with you in detail when you come in but I would like to do that in person." _

"Of course…" She cleared her throat again as she looked at her watch, "I can be there by 9?"

_"Okay. See you then." _

"Yes… see you then" As she hung up the phone, setting it carefully on her desk, she paused for a moment and looked around the dimly lit room where the sun was threatening to spill through the curtains that covered the window. Pushing away from the desk, she made her way to the window and threw open the barrier between her and the warm morning sun and took a moment to soak up its comfort.

"Lex?"

She turned at the sound of the voice to find Garrett standing in the doorway, "Good morning."

"Morning…" He slowly furthered his entry, "Everything all right?"

"Yes," She nodded, forcing a reassuring smile before meeting him in a kiss, "I have to go into work this morning… something came up and I have to take care of it before Monday."

"Oh…" He was surprised. The previous evening she had seemed so upset about missing the pumpkin patch and now work was coming before the days events again, "You're busy, hmm?"

"A little." She shrugged, "Just a client..."

"Can we talk for a minute?" Garrett watched her carefully. He could sense her nervousness.

"Garrett… I really…" She paused, "I have to get to work. Can it wait until I get home?"

"Sure…" He smiled, kissing her again.

"Okay. We'll talk when I get home." She smiled before patting his arm in reassurance and breezing past him and out the door.

* * *

"I'm weady!" Danny exclaimed happily as he bounced into the Lakehouse and greeted his grandfather and aunts who were dispersed about the living room.

"Oh. My. God." Kristina put a hand to her mouth in laughter at the sight of her nephew, dressed from head to toe in African Safari attire, complete with a hat to match.

"I know…" Sam rolled her eyes with a loving smile as she trailed behind her son who had been scooped up by his grandfather.

"You sure do look ready, there, buddy!" Garrett chuckled as he observed the outfit.

"Yep!" Danny nodded enthusiastically, before casting his curious eyes around the room, "Whe-yuh my gwamma?"

"Your grandma is at work," Garrett watched the little boy's face fall.

"But…" He looked around again, "We gonna go to da zoo…"

"I know, but she's not going to be able to go with us." The older man broke the news again.

"Oh…" Danny squirmed to get down, forcing his grandfather to comply and watch him go to his mother, taking her hand.

"You ready to go?!" Sam enthused, knowing her son was upset that her mother was missing another family outing.

"Come on, Danny!" Molly exchanged a look with her sister and smiled, bouncing over to Danny and taking his hand, "Let's go get in the car, okay!?"

"Kay!" He nodded, a small, excited smile forming as Molly and Kristina took him out of the house.

"Mom's working again?" Sam looked at him skeptically, being met with a nod.

"Yeah… I guess there's a matter with a client that can't wait until Monday. She got a call this morning."

"She's working a lot…" Sam crossed her arms, trying to gauge her father's feelings.

"I know…" He sighed as he rested against the dining table, "I have to be honest with you… I'm a little worried about her."

"Is something wrong?"

"I don't know…" He shrugged, "She says that there isn't… but you know she's been having those anxiety attacks."

"She said she went to the doctor and got a prescription… she said she was feeling better."

"Yeah… she told me that too…"

"So?"

"She just works herself too hard, that's all…" Garrett met eyes with his daughter before she cast her gaze away, "You know… you and I… we haven't really talked…"

"I know… I'm sorry." Sam sighed, unfolding her arms and resting them beside her where she was leaning on the back of the chair, "I've just been…"

"Been busy… I know…" Garrett smirked, "Seems you and your mother are alike…"

"Yeah," She rolled her eyes, "You've said that before."

"Listen… Sam…I just," He paused, drawing a deep breath, "I should start by saying I'm sorry…"

"No… you..." she shook her head and her father stopped her.

"No, I know that I hurt you by leaving so abruptly," Garrett tried to find the words, "The truth is… I didn't know how to handle my situation and I tend to cave under pressure a little but… as you well know."

"Yeah," She nodded, chuckling slightly, "It's okay. I'm sorry too… I shouldn't have been avoiding talking to you like I have been…"

"So you have been avoiding me, hmm?" He raised a brow causing her to smile.

"I have, yeah… I wasn't angry with you, I really wasn't. I guess I was confused and a little disappointed and I didn't know how to approach it."

"I never meant to hurt you, Sam. I need you to know… you're everything to me."

"I know…" She nodded, pausing for a moment, "I guess… we were getting so close. I was really starting to feel like… I don't know."

Garrett watched as she shrugged again, noting the shy, almost girlish demeanor she had taken on. "You were starting to feel like my daughter…"

"Yeah," Sam smiled, as tears sprang to her eyes. Garrett pushed himself away from the table and embraced his daughter, "I'm sorry… I shouldn't be crying…"

"Listen," Garrett sniffled as he held her close, "I'm still kind of new to this whole father thing…"

"I know…" Sam chuckled, wiping her tears as they broke away to look at one another.

"I want you to know… despite all of the bad choices I might make or the ways I stumble through and may not measure up to be the father you deserve… I love you, Sam. With all of my heart."

"I love you, too…" She nodded, wiping away her tears again. She chuckled, "Come on… Let's go to the Zoo. I have a feeling a little someone might be driving his aunts crazy right about now."

"Yeah… I wonder where he gets that impatient nature from, huh?" They both chuckled as Garrett wrapped an arm around his daughter and they walked out.

* * *

It wasn't until later that evening when Alexis entered her empty house, that she looked down at the text message that sat on her phone from Garrett. It read, _getting pizza at Sam's. come when you're done at the office. _

She had received the message a few hours earlier… hours earlier when she was preoccupied. Now, she just didn't know how to respond.

**_2 hours prior…_**

_Alexis sat in the chair across from the doctor's desk, focusing on her hands that were clasped in her lap. Apparently a positive result… in this case, was not positive at all. _

_"Ms. Davis?" _

_She looked up suddenly, giving the doctor an intent look of attention, "Yes." _

_"As I said before, from what we can see, the cardiac damage has been there for a while and has just progressively worsened. This condition is not uncommon in patients who received the extent of chemotherapy that you did for your cancer. The drugs that are used to aggressively treat cancer, as you had it, are very damaging to the body. Unfortunately, we can never truly know the damage that has been done until much later." _

_"So, um…" Alexis cleared her throat, focusing on the Doctor seated before her, "So what your saying is, in the process of trying to save my life from lung cancer, I was actually just alternating to a new, slower, way of ending it?" _

_"Ms. Davis…" The doctor drew a deep breath, "Medicine is not perfect. In many cases, like yours, risks have to be taken to treat what is the greatest threat at the time. Some people may never develop a condition as you have, but regrettably some do. The main thing to remember is that many patients live very comfortable lives with proper treatment… it's not a death sentence. We can handle this, but time is not on our side so it's good that we caught it now. Some patients ignore symptoms until suddenly something severe happens and the damage is irreparable." _

_"I'm 51 years old, Dr. Cramer…" a melancholy smile crossed her lips, "How long can I really live with this?" _

_"As I said, many patients go on to live long and happy lives. Some lifestyle changes are certainly needed along with a course of drug therapy but we can definitely make this work. On top of figuring out a combination of medication that will work for you, I will also set you up with a nutritionist to discuss a diet plan for you." His positivity should have been a comfort, but instead it was a red flag. This wasn't an everyday occurrence. Alexis knew these were blanket answers and the truth was, he didn't know what the end result would be- or how long it would take before she would find out. The Doctor turned back to the computer "Now, I'm going to need to start you on a few medications and see how you respond. The first order of business is a dose of a rhythm regulator and also a prescription diuretic to reduce the fluid retention in the lungs and prevent it from getting worse…." _

She thought back on the day's events and realized the rest was a blur. From that point on, Alexis knew that the doctor was telling her things that she needed to know, but she couldn't focus on a word. All she could think about was her girls… and Danny… and Garrett. She could see their faces as she sat them all down and told them the diagnosis. She could see Kristina's eyes welling with tears and the terrified look on her face much like the one she had when she was a young girl and watched her suffer through sickness before. And Molly… Molly hardly could remember what it was like during her mother's cancer… she would know, now. She would know what it was like. They all would.

Alexis couldn't do it. There was no way she was going to sit back and watch her family… the people she loved more than anyone or anything else in the world, struggle to keep it together while they worried whether or not she was going to make it until tomorrow. Ten years prior she swore she would never let that happen again… she made a promise to stay healthy and strong for her girls. She told them she was better… she was recovered and they knew that she was healthy. How could she tell them she wasn't? It was a simple answer… she couldn't.


	12. Confrontations

**A/N: ****Thank you for all of the reviews. I'm so glad everyone is enjoying this. I want to give a special thanks to soapdemon34 who helped me really get this story moving and get passed my overwhelmed jumble of thoughts. **

**I hope you all continue to read and enjoy... and review :) **

**Chapter 12: ****Confrontations**

Sonny knew he had to do something. It was bad enough that Garrett was already keeping this secret from Alexis. He wasn't sure if his source's findings were truly accurate or not, but if they were- Garrett and his family were in trouble and that included all of them.

From what he could see, a Detective Moreau was involved in a mob infiltration in the late 1970's in New Jersey. A few news paper articles reported a stand-off between the detective and his team and the major mob families in the area at the time. In an article from May of 1979, Moreau's vehicle was found burnt to the frame in a wooded area off the highway. The bodies of he and his son were never found- they were declared dead.

They certainly weren't dead, as it was after that when Garrett or "Gerard" met Alexis and fathered her child. Now, he was here in Port Charles trying to build a life with his family, and his father's past had caught up to him.

Sonny truly felt for the man. Being on the wrong end of the law for as long as he had been, he understood dealing with the ramifications of what you had done. But these were the "good" guys, not good to Sonny, but good nonetheless. His father was trying to build a life for himself and his son… with a respectable job. Trying to succeed. Only to be basically run out of town, after the government got him in way over his head.

This would explain why Gerard disappeared all those years ago from New Hampshire, and why he had shown up there in the first place. They were hiding. When the jig was up, Mr. Moreau and his son moved out of town, changed their names, and tried to build a new life.

The bottom line remained, if Garrett was in danger- Alexis deserved to know. And if Alexis and her family was in danger, she _needed _to know. Garrett couldn't protect them by himself. He needed help, whether it is legitimate help or not. Something had to give.

When he arrived, Sonny took a deep breath before knocking on the office door.

"Come in," Garrett looked up from his computer and was surprised to see the man entering his office, "Hey, Sonny."

"Hi, Garrett…" He shook his hand when he rose to meet him.

"Surprised to see you here," Garrett smiled.

"Yeah… I'm kind of surprised to see _you_ here…" Sonny raised a brow as he took a seat on the other side of Garrett's desk.

"Oh… well… Yeah. I got back a few days ago."

"I'm glad… you know, Alexis… she really likes having you around." Sonny nodded to him, "She really missed you."

"I know, Sonny…" Garrett sighed, "I really regret the way that I handled things… I'm trying to…"

"Hey…" Sonny cracked a smile, "It's okay. I understand…"

Garrett watched Sonny nod and part of him knew the man understood. Despite Sonny's business and his history with Alexis, he knew he was a good man, "Thanks, Sonny. That means a lot."

"Of course…" He nodded again, "Kristina said everyone was really happy you were home… I hope you know how much you mean to them."

"I do, yeah," Garrett smiled as the thoughts of his family came to mind.

"They really care about you… especially Alexis." Sonny paused, "it takes a lot for her to trust… you know that…" He watched Garrett nod and noticed his face growing skeptical, "Garrett, I'm here because I want to talk to you about something that you might not be willing to share…"

"Sonny, if…" He started, but stopped when Sonny placed the envelope of folded articles on his desk, "What's this?"

"That's what I'm here for… I was wondering if you could tell me." Sonny studied Garrett as he unfolded the papers and began to read… he watched as the color drained from his face.

"Where did you get these?"

"That's not important… what's important is whether or not they affect you." He watched the man try to find the words, "Now, listen, Garrett… I understand… I understand if you've had to hide all of this for years… But if you are connected to that. And those families are after you…" They met eyes for a moment and Sonny could clearly see that he was indeed, correct, "You're in trouble aren't you?"

"Sonny… I…" Garrett paused for a moment, "I don't know. I honestly don't know. I don't know what to do."

"Your father's still alive." Sonny stated plainly and Garrett nodded, "They figured it out."

"They have an idea, yeah…" Garrett sighed, "They've always known I was a relative… they knew that I was linked to the Moreau name but they didn't know exactly who I was. I don't know what happened, but it was figured out. I've been receiving threatening letters for months."

"Doesn't your father know?"

"He does… So far they have not made contact with him but from what the letters say, they know that he's alive."

"Garrett…" Sonny grew serious, "These people are nothing to mess around with… I'm sure you know that."

"I do, Sonny… but I'm not in a position to do anything about it." Garrett shook his head as he rose from his chair and paced to the window, "My father doesn't want to be found out. My hands are tied."

"You have to tell Alexis."

Garrett turned, his eyes wide, "Are you crazy? She's already having anxiety problems the last thing she needs to know is the mob is after me!"

"She needs to know that she's in danger and her family is in danger. If they found out that you are who you say you aren't," Sonny shook his head, "They're not just going to come after you… they're going to come after everyone who is close to you. Especially Alexis and your daughter. Sam already has mob ties through Jason… she's not a stranger."

"Sonny, I can't tell Alexis." He shook his head, "I can't."

"What about the trust that the two of you have promised each other? How do you expect to build your relationship if you are keeping something from her again?" He paused, rising to step closer to Garrett, "I know that you have had to keep this a secret your whole life to protect yourself and your father… but Alexis deserves to know about this. Alexis deserves to know that the reason you left her all those years ago wasn't just because…"

"Don't you think I've thought about this?" Garret scoffed as he walked away from Sonny, "I know that it would help her to trust me more, and I know that it would strengthen our relationship and my relationship with my daughter… but I can't betray my father like that, Sonny. I can't protect him once they find out. He's counted on me for all of these years… I can't betray his trust now."

"Doesn't he know you have a family? You have a child and a grandchild that need you?"

"You don't know my father…"

"Does he not have a heart?"

"He's a hardened man over the years… he's not capable of thinking about much more than himself." He shrugged.

"Garrett…" Sonny pushed, "You have to tell Alexis. You have to tell her, or I will."

"That's not your place," It was Garrett's turn to be firm, "You said you understood."

"I do, man… I do," He shook his head, placing his hands to his hips, "I feel for you... I really do. You did nothing to deserve this and I understand that. But I can't continue to let you keep this from her. She's the mother of my daughter, too, you know…"

"I know," Garrett nodded softening at his words.

"If something happened to Kristina's mother… and I knew about it… not to mention that the danger to Alexis and Sam could directly affect my daughter as well. I can't just stand by with this information and know that something could happen to them without them knowing…"

"Sonny…"

"And for what it's worth… I can help you, you know." He watched Garrett look away, only to meet his eyes again and nod.

"I know." An ironic laugh escaped as he shook his head, "I can't do that, though. Fighting fire with fire… doesn't really work, you know? I need to keep the government as my ally. I just don't know when to call on them or how…"

"All right," Sonny nodded before picking up the papers and placing back in the inside pocket of his suit jacket, "Just remember what I said. You need to tell her. And you need to do it now, before things get out of hand."

There was no response from Garrett, he simply watched Sonny as he turned and walked out the door.

* * *

Staring at yet another drug pamphlet, Alexis flipped it from front to back and sighed. So far things were looking great… or not. Since picking up yet another new medication that morning, she had spent the better part of her time at the office reading over the pamphlets, taking in the side effects and possible future complications. She always thought that knowledge was power, in this case… it was just stress… which in turn would make her feel worse. Why did any of it matter anyway?

She glanced to her bag as it lay on her desk with its contents spilling out; she pulled out the small colorful brochure that the doctor had given her a few days before. Happy, smiling, gray-haired people graced the cover. They looked so content… so thrilled with their lives… and so _old. _She opened it, nonetheless and began to read.

"_The most important aspect to remember when living with chronic illness is to surround yourself with support. You will never truly know the impact that a support system of family and friends will offer if you don't reach out and ask for it. You are not in this alone_." Alexis rolled her eyes as she threw the pamphlet on the desk, along with her glasses. She sat back in her chair and crossed her arms, "Sure… sounds so simple."

And in that one moment, that was it. A limit had been reached and without a doubt this wouldn't be the last time. She couldn't hold back the tears as they stung her eyes and began to spill over onto her cheeks. This was all she could do. She couldn't fix it. She could only cry. Alone. In her office. Surrounded by pamphlets explaining how she was going to live out the rest of her shortened life.

"What did I do," She sobbed, burying her forehead in her hand, "What did I ever do to deserve this?"

The more she cried, the harder it was to stop. Instead of the emotions passing with the release, getting them out was breaking a dam that was too powerful to hold back. All of the life choices she had ever made came flooding to the forefront of her mind in an effort to explain the bad cards she had been dealt. She was paying for something… she had to be. Why else would one person be put through so much? How could one family survive one hardship after another?

Alexis knew that she needed to think positive. But the pressure of holding everything in and keeping it from everyone around her had led to this- where holding back was no longer an option. In the solace of her uninterrupted silence, she was confronting this newest hurdle… and she just didn't know how she was going to get over it.

After pulling a few tissues from the box and blotting her cheeks, she picked up the brochure again, along with her glasses, "_Admitting a weakness to ones you love may be the hardest thing you ever have to do. So hard, that many are unable. Admitting is the first step. Even if it's only to one person who can be a confidant for you- that is what you need to do." _She took a deep breath as she continued onto the next page of the tri-fold, _"Holding in your emotions and hiding an illness from others is counterproductive to the healing process. It will undoubtedly hold you back from living your best and fullest life." _She found herself sniffling and chuckling. Either that doctor knew exactly what brochure to pick, or someone was trying to tell her something.

The glossy tri-fold was once again thrown to the wayside, eyeglasses landing on top of it, as Alexis tried to regain her composure as best she could. She was headed to her purse for a mirror when her cell phone rang from where it lay on the desk, reading- "Garrett".

"Of course…" She sniffled again, giving her nose another wipe before turning on her happy voice, "Hello?"

_"Hey, Lex…" Garrett paused for a moment not knowing what to say. _

"Hi…" She smiled, and it was genuine. She loved the sound of his voice, "What are you up to?"

_"Honey?" He suddenly noticed, "Are you okay? You sound a little… stuffy? Are you crying?" _

"Crying?" She shook her head and wiped her nose again, "No… I'm not crying. Just a little fall allergy… " She stopped herself from going any further. The lying had to stop.

_"Oh." He started again, "I'd like to come by your office if you're not too busy?" _

"Okay. No, I'm not too busy… never too busy for you."

_"Okay. I'll see you in a little while, all right?" _

"Sure…" She paused, "Garrett?"

_"Yeah?"_

Alexis paused, biting her lip as she felt a fresh set of tears stinging her eyes, "I love you."

_"God, I love you too, Lexie." _

* * *

Garrett was in the car almost immediately after hanging up. He had to tell her now, before he lost his nerve. Or before Sonny did it first. He couldn't blame the man. His points were valid. Alexis was important to both of them, albeit in different ways, but just as important nonetheless. He needed to tell her. She deserved to know.

He was drawn from his own conflicting thoughts and concentration on the road by his phone ringing through the speakers.

"Hello?"

"Son?" His father's deep bellowing voice sounded through the speakers.

"Pop? What… what's wrong?"

"They found me…" He had never heard his father's voice waiver as it was.

"What?"

"They've ransacked the house. I just arrived home and the house has been destroyed. I don't know what they've taken yet… but they had to have found something."

"Pop…"

"I need to you come back… I know that you're with your family… I'm sorry, son. I'm sorry, but I need you here. If only for a few days."

"Pop… I have some things I need to take care of here..." As much as he wanted to fight him, he could tell from his voice that he needed him.

"I'm counting on you, Gerard." The elder Moreau's voice was growing wearier by the minute, "I'm at a loss."

"Okay, Pop." Garrett sighed, "I'll be there by tonight."


	13. Gone Again

**A/N: ****Good evening readers! I want to thank you all for your continued enthusiasm and responses. I absolutely love reading what everyone has to say. Here's the next chapter. **

**Chapter 13: **Gone Again

As she looked again at the brochure in front of her, Alexis knew what she needed to do. Garrett was obviously coming to talk to her about something that was important to him… important for him to share with her and he deserved the same. She deserved his support and she knew she would have it one hundred percent. She looked up when she heard the soft knock, followed not soon after by the greeting.

"It's me, Lex…"

After stuffing the brochures back in her bag, Alexis rose from her seat at the sound of his voice and met him with a smile as he entered the office, "Hi."

"Hey, you…" Garrett smiled too, it was hard not to around her. They met in a kiss.

"This is a nice surprise…" Alexis's soft smile was genuine, looking into his eyes as she held her arms wrapped around his waist.

"I'm sorry… I didn't want to disrupt you at work."

"You're not disrupting me, Garrett…" She scoffed, breaking away long enough to guide him to the large leather chairs in front of her desk.

"Lex… I need to talk to you about something…" He started nervously, but quickly noted her face grow serious.

"I, um…" Alexis looked at him carefully, "I do, too…"

"You do?" He raised a brow and studied her carefully.

"Yeah… I uh…" She shook her head, quickly recovering with a smile, "You go first… you came here for a reason."

"Is everything all right?" Garrett was growing nervous, watching as she herself chuckled and waved him off.

"Yeah… yeah, everything is fine. Come on… go ahead. What do you need to talk about?"

"You sounded strange on the phone," He studied her carefully, resting both of his hands on her shoulders, "What's going on with you?"

"Garrett," She looked at him sternly, "I told you, I am fine."

"Your eyes…"

"I'm having allergies for some reason." Alexis brushed him off as she walked past him and back to her desk to retrieve a tissue, "I'm not going to stand here and defend myself so will you please get on with what you need to tell me?"

"I have to go back to New York…" The words rolled off of his tongue quicker than he could gauge her reaction.

"Oh." Her voice was quiet as she looked down, away from his eyes.

"Lex, I'm sorry… I promise you it won't be for long. A few days at the most…"

"What'd Julie do now?" She met his eyes and he could see the anger there.

"It's not Julie…" He sighed, rubbing either arm with his hands, "It's something else that's too much to get into right now. I promise you… we'll talk when I get back."

"What do you mean too much to get into?" Alexis narrowed her eyes as she came to the front of her desk and folded her arms.

"It just is," He shrugged, "Lex…"

"You know… all of a sudden you've been awfully secretive. You've been running around taking phone calls in the bathroom and outside…" She shook her head, "If I didn't know better…"

"Alexis… I'm not…" He sighed. He was going to say that he wasn't keeping anything from her but that would be a lie. "I'm not doing anything bad…"

"Oh, really?" She raised a brow, "So if it isn't anything "Bad", then what is it?"

"I can't get into it right now…" His voice was low and flat , "I told you I will talk to you about it when I get back from New York and I know more of what's going on."

"Garrett…" Alexis cleared her throat as she pushed away from the desk and walked closer to him, "You promised me that you were going to be open with me about everything. You had a wife and you kept it from me for almost a year, Garrett… a year."

"I thought we were past that…"

"You thought we were past that…" She chuckled, "Right, because it's so easy to get over such a tiny little detail."

"That's not what I meant,"

Alexis watched as he shrunk and she her guilt kicked in, "Listen, I'm not trying to rehash… I didn't mean to do that."

"Okay…"

"I just … I am trying really hard, here, Garrett…" She took a deep breath, "I'm trying really hard to trust you, but… you keep making it harder and I don't know how long I can do this."

"I'm sorry…" Garrett quieted, "I wish I was easier to trust. I wish I never hurt you before, but I have. I know that I have a lot to make up for and I know that you deserve better…"

"That's not it…" She shook her head, uncrossing one arm to place to his cheek in reassurance, "It's not about deserving anything. No one person deserves anything better or worse than the next. This is about _us. _This is about our relationship… I want you, forever… I don't ever want you out of my life."

"I don't want you out of mine, either, Lex… of course I don't," He shook his head as he took her hand in his, "I want to share everything with you… I want to be as open with you as you are with me."

Alexis felt her stomach knot at his words and suddenly the word hypocrite played over and over in her head, "Garrett…"

"I know that is what we need to be strong, I know it's what we need to last in a healthy relationship," He continued and she couldn't get a word in, "All I'm asking you now is to just be patient with me… please. I promise when I get things figure out I will tell you what's going on…"

"Garrett?" She tilted her head, becoming less annoyed and more concerned, "What _is_ going on?"

"Nothing…" He forced a smile and visibly calmed himself, reassuring her with a squeeze to her shoulders, "Everything is fine. It's just business… something happened and I have to take care of it. I told them I would be there by tonight."

"Is that all you came here to tell me?"

"Yeah…" Garrett sighed, putting a hand to her cheek, "I didn't want to upset you over the phone… I didn't want to leave like that."

"What about Sam? And Danny?" Alexis raised a brow, her face growing stern again, "I should hope you'll say goodbye to them in person."

"Yes… I, uh… I already called Sam, I'm going to stop by her house on my way out of town." Garrett watched her carefully as she looked away again, before lifting her chin to look at him, "Alexis, I know I've made promises before. I know that I've let you down. I promise this isn't going to be long."

"Okay…" Her face softened as she leaned into his kiss, "I'm sorry. You need to do what you need to do… I just want to know one thing."

"What?"

"Are you in any trouble?"

Garrett closed his eyes, drawing a breath before shaking his head, "No."

"Why don't I believe you…"

"Alexis, I am not in any trouble…" He paused, "As long as I take care of what I need to… everything will be fine."

"Just be careful."

"I will. I'll call you when I arrive in New York tonight and we'll talk as soon as I get back." He kissed her again, "About everything."

"Okay," Alexis nodded, her mouth smiling but her eyes telling a different story.

"I love you so much, Lexie."

"I… I love you, too…" Her emotions were threatening but were soon stopped by Garrett's mouth pressing to hers for a long and passionate kiss. How she loved him…

"I'll call you when I get there…" Garrett reassured as he stepped away, still connected by a hand.

"Okay…" Alexis smiled, "Drive safely."

"I will." With a kiss to her hand, he was back out of the door just as quickly as he had entered.

"Well... he's gone again." Alexis drew a deep breath as she leaned her weight against the arm of the leather chair, "That's all right. It's only a couple of days..."

* * *

"Hey…" Sam smiled as she opened her front door to her father and he entered slowly.

"Hi, honey…" Garrett kissed her cheek, looking past when he saw Danny coming down the stairs.

"Hi, papa!" Danny smiled, jumping off the last two steps and into his grandfather's arms.

"Hey buddy," Garrett kissed his cheek as the little boy leaned back to show his prized motor cycle toy.

"I was pwayin' motohcycohs. Wanna pway?"

"I'm sorry, Danny…I can't play right now. I have to go away for a few days to take care of some business."

"Oh…" His face fell, his eyes growing wider, "You gonna comed home?"

"I'll be home before you know it," Garrett gave the boy a reassuring smile, "I promise it won't be long."

"'Kay…" Danny nodded, "To carve pun'kins?"

"Yes, little buddy. I'll be home to carve the pumpkins."

"Kay," he finally smiled as he got one last hug from his grandfather and Garrett set him down where he scurried off to play.

"So you're only going to be gone a couple days?" Sam crossed her arms as they continued to stand near the doorway.

"Yeah…" Garrett drew a deep breath as he nodded, "I know I just got back… I had no intention of going back but something went wrong so I just have to check it out. It won't be long a t all."

"Okay…" Sam nodded, "I trust you."

Garrett felt the guilt wash over him as he locked eyes with his daughter, "I, um… I didn't want to leave without saying goodbye to you both in person."

"Thank you…" Sam smiled, "That means a lot."

"I love you, Sam…" Garrett closed his eyes as they embraced.

"I love you, too…" As they broke away she smiled into his face, "You better get going if you want to get to New York before tomorrow."

"Yeah…"Garrett smiled nervously.

"Danny! Come say goodbye to Papa…" Sam called over her shoulder and soon the little boy was jumping into his Papa's arms again.

"Bye, Danny." Garrett ruffled his hair, "Be good, okay? I'll see you in a few days."

"Kay, papa." Danny smiled as the man set him down and headed out the door with one last look over his shoulder, "Momma?"

"Yeah, honey?" Sam looked down, intently focusing on her son.

"Why papa going again?" He tilted his head innocently, prompting his mother to pick him up.

"I don't really know, buddy," She kissed his head as she hoisted him on her hip, "I don't really know…"

"Oh…" He paused for a moment, "Can we go outside and pway in da leafs?"

Sam couldn't help but laugh at her son's precocious little face, "Sure we can… let's get your shoes on…" As she set Danny on the step, a knock at the door took her attention. She was surprised when she opened the door at who was standing on the other side.

"Emma!" Danny exclaimed as he ran and hugged the older girl.

"Hi, Danny!" Emma smiled up at Sam just as her father made his way behind her.

"Patrick!" Sam was surprised… pleasantly surprised.

"Hey, Sam…" Patrick smiled, "I hope we're not intruding…"

"No!" She waved him off, stepping aside to invite him inside, "Come in. We were just about to go outside and play."

"Emma wanted to bring Danny this…" Patrick held out a toy motorcycle, much like the one Danny had played with earlier, "It found it's way to our house and…"

"Thank you, Patrick." Sam smiled as Danny took the motorcycle from him, "Danny, what do you say?"

"Fanks, Emma daddy!"

"You're welcome, Danny…" Patrick ruffled the boys hair with a smile.

Sam looked between them, "Um… Patrick… are you two busy right now?"

"No… not at all."

"Would you like to stay for a while?" She could feel herself closing off but she was trying with all she had to step out of the box that she had built, "Danny would love to have a playmate for leaf jumping…"

"What do you say Emma?" Patrick looked down to see his smiling young girl nodding, "Okay… guess it's a deal."

* * *

"Hey, mom." Kristina smiled from the sofa as she watched her mother enter the house, setting her keys and bag on the table.

"Hi, sweetheart," Alexis greeted her lovingly, picking up the pile of mail that sat on the table, "Where's Molly?"

"Staying after school for something," She shrugged, "I'm not really sure…"

"Oh, all right," She focused on the mail until the silence seemed awkward. She looked up to find her daughter looking at her intently, "Yes?"

"Mom… I, um…" Kristina drew a deep breath, throwing the magazine she was looking through on the table before she stood, "I have to go…"

"What?" Alexis was a little confused.

"I have to go back to Greece… tomorrow…" Kristina watched her mother's face fall as she looked back to the mail in her hands.

"You just found this out?" She didn't look up, only questioned quietly.

"No…I," Kristina sighed, "I'm sorry. I wasn't keeping track of time… I should have let you know when I was leaving."

"It's all right, honey," Alexis' face softened as she threw the mail on the table and embraced her middle daughter, "I'm sorry… I just… I just don't want you to leave again, that's all."

"I know, mom." Kristina sniffled as they continued to embrace, "I don't really want to go… but, I have a job there and…"

"I know, sweetheart. I know…" Alexis smiled adoringly as they pulled back. She wiped a tear from her daughter's cheek, "You don't need to explain yourself to me. You have a life there… one that you love and you're so successful. I know that you need to go back. And you know that too."

"Yeah," Kristina nodded, wiping away the remainder of her tears, "I'm really going to miss everyone… I'm really going to miss you."

"Oh, baby… I'm going to miss you too." Her mother hugged her again, "More than I can say."

"I need to go pack…" Kristina sighed, "I was thinking… maybe when Molly gets home we could go out to dinner or something?"

"Yeah?" She drew a deep breath, caressing Kristina's cheek, "That's sounds wonderful."

"We can call Sam and Danny, too…" She smiled, "I just want to spend time with everyone before I go."

"Good. We will do that, then… go get yourself packed." Alexis smiled, "What time does your plane leave tomorrow?"

"Not until 6pm…" Kristina glanced over her shoulder to her mother, "We still have tomorrow."

"Of course…" Alexis nodded with a smile as Kristina rounded the corner, "We always have tomorrow…"

Alexis took a deep breath and sat on the sofa, her legs crossed and head rested against the back pillows. Her moment of rest was interrupted when the door opened. She looked up to find Molly walking in.

"Hi, sweetie."

"Hey, mom…" Alexis could tell the enthusiasm was as much as the young girl could muster. She was starting to worry about her.

"Mol? What's up?"

"Nothing…" Molly sighed, tossing her bookbag on the coffee table before plopping on the sofa next to her mother, "I just stayed after for AP Lit review."

"Oh… how did it go?"

"It was fine."

"My Molly…" Alexis hugged her close, resting her head atop her daughter's, "I hate seeing you like this."

"I'm fine, mom …" Molly perked up for a moment, "Oh, I almost forgot! I need you sign this release…"

Alexis watched as she opened her backpack and pulled out a folder, "For what?"

"I'm going to be on the news…" She shrugged, "My citizenship class is volunteering at a local school, collecting school supplies for the less fortunate students and filling backpacks. The news is going to be there…"

"Oh…that's wonderful, Molly!" Her mother beamed with pride as she signed the paper Molly had handed her.

"Yeah…" She shrugged again, taking the paper bag Alexis noticed a manila folder slide out of the bag and Molly quickly shoved it back in.

"What's that?"

"What's what?" It was obvious she was nervous.

"That folder, there…"

"Where?"

"Molly!" Alexis scolded before sitting forward and pulling it out herself, "This is from NYU!"

"Mom…" Molly watched as her mother pulled the papers out of the folder and her face lit up.

"Molly!" Her mother's smile couldn't get any wider, "Molly! You were accepted!"

"Yeah…" She nodded as her mother pulled her into a fierce hug.

"Oh, sweetheart I'm so proud of you!" She hugged her daughter tightly, "When did you get this?"

Molly shrugged again, rolling her eyes as Alexis noticed the postage and her face fell.

"October 3rd?" Alexis questioned her daughter softly, "Molly? That was nearly two weeks ago. Why didn't you say something?"

"I don't know. Kristina came home and then Garrett… we were just busy…"

"Honey, you know they would have loved to hear the good news!" Alexis brushed her hand through the young girl's hair, "Talk to me…"

"I don't want to go." Molly stated her answer plainly, with little emotion evident in her voice.

"Kristina said that you had been talking about it… she said that you thought you had a bad feeling about leaving?"

"Maybe… I don't know." Molly took the papers from her mother's grasp and put them back in her book-bag, "I just don't want to go."

"Hey…" Alexis lifted her daughter's chin to meet her gaze, "That's okay. You know that's okay, right?"

"I guess…"

"Molly…" Alexis studied her carefully, "Honey, I have never seen you like this. Did something happen?"

"No, mom… nothing happened." She sighed, "I told you… I don't know why I don't want to go."

"You have to know why…"

"Mom…"

"Honey, if something happened and you feel…"

"Mom, nothing happened!" Molly was growing irritated, but Alexis wouldn't back down.

"You know, college is a special experience and if you want to…"

"Mom, I don't want to leave…" She shook her head, "I don't to leave home. I don't want to leave you."

Alexis was taken back when her daughter's weary eyes met hers at her confession, "Molly…"

"I don't want to talk about it anymore…" Molly started to get up and Alexis grabbed her hand, rising to meet her while simultaneously pulling her into her arms.

"I love you, so much." Alexis kissed her head, still holding her in her arms, "More than I could ever tell you in words. More than my own life."

"Don't say that!" Molly leaned back to look at her mother, her eyes now brimmed with tears, "Don't ever say that."

"Mol…" She started but Molly quickly pulled away and was gone before she could finish.


	14. Revelations

**A/N: ****It's Friday night and lucky for you readers... i have no life! LOL. Here is the next chapter in my little tale... hope you all continue to enjoy this as I am having fun writing it. I'm even having fun watching GH these days, imagine that! ;) **

**Don't forget to leave a quick review! I look forward to reading them. :) **

**Chapter 14:**** Revelations **

Alexis stood in the open doorway, cradling her coffee mug with two hands, taking in the warm sun mixed with the crisp chill of autumn. It was a long and lonely night without Garrett there. He had called as soon as he arrived in New York, told her how much he missed her and promised to call today when he got everything figured out. He would call, she knew he would… but she still worried. She worried that whatever it was he was dealing with wasn't kosher… something was wrong. She could feel it in her heart… she knew.

She turned back, noticing Kristina's two suitcases sitting by the door. It wasn't long before Kristina herself emerged from the hall, a smile on her face as she brought out another bag.

"I think this is the last of my stuff…" She shook her head with a chuckle, "I can't believe how much I reacquired while I was here! Don't tell Molly, but I took my slippers back… she never wears them, anyway…"

Alexis smiled softly at her daughter, listening to every word she was saying, mesmerized by the wonderful young woman she had become, she was so proud. She nodded when Kristina looked to her for a reaction, "Okay."

"You okay, mom?" Kristina studied her mother carefully, approaching her closer.

"Yeah, honey. I'm fine." She reassured, reaching out to cup her daughter's cheek with her hand, "So… what are your plans for today?"

"Well, Sam is coming over in a little bit and we were hoping you would join us, Molly, and Danny for lunch?"

"Of course I would!" Alexis melted at the invitation, "Nothing is better than lunch with my babies."

"Good." Kristina smiled as her mother took her hand and began to guide her to the sofa.

"Come here a minute…" They sat down, "I want you to tell me more about Greece… I realized today that the whole time you've been home, we haven't really talked about what your life is like there."

"It's great, mom… it's not home." Kristina confessed, "But I do love it. It's so beautiful."

"I know," Alexis nodded, "It's like nothing else in the world. Very pristine and exotic at the same time."

"Yeah… and there's so much art there. So many sculptures and paintings that are so unique and so old…"

"That's Europe for you…" Her mother agreed, "I know that you love it… but I want to know about_ you_. I want to know about your life there…"

"You want to know if I have a boyfriend…" Kristina threw her mother a knowing glance and both of them laughed.

"Okay, so shoot me I want to know if my daughter has someone special in her life… a Greek God, perhaps." She raised a brow causing Kristina to giggle.

"No, Mom… I don't have a Greek God…" She shook her head as her laughter subsided, "But there is someone in my life. His name is Jake and he's from Florida…"

"Florida?!" Alexis was surprised, "Oh…well… a gulf coast god then, huh?"

"Mom…" Kristina laughed again, "He's in my program… he's a graduate student at Florida State."

"How come you didn't say anything before…?" Alexis was a little sad, she had hoped that after everything they had been through she would want to share her life with her mother.

"This is going to sound stupid…" She started.

"Never…" Alexis reassured, brushing her hand through her daughter's soft brown hair.

"I just didn't want to jinx it, I guess," Kristina shrugged, "I really like him, mom… and I just wanted to keep it to myself."

"I'm so happy for you…" Alexis soothed, "I can't wait to meet him. How long have you been together?"

Kristina shrank; she cast her eyes upward to meet her mothers, "almost a year."

"Kristina Adela!" Alexis scolded before a chuckle escaped her and she enveloped her daughter in a hug, "You are something else…"

"Sorry…" Kristina laughed as they hugged, soon interrupted by a "ahem" from the doorway. They turned to find Sonny standing outside the door.

"You can come in." Alexis chided as Sonny opened the door and allowed himself to enter.

"Hi girls…" Sonny smirked as he closed the door behind him, making his way into the house.

"Hi dad…" Kristina rose from where she was with her mother and met her father in a hug.

"I'm gonna miss you, baby girl…" Sonny hugged her tight and smiled upon their release.

"I know… I'm going to miss you too…" Kristina frowned, and then noticed her father eyeing her mother where she stood behind her, "Um… What's up?"

"Well, I came to see you before you left. I know your mother's taking you to the airport this afternoon."

"Yeah…" She smiled sadly, "But we still have the rest of the day, right?"

"Right," Alexis affirmed with a nod.

Kristina noticed the way her father was looking at her mother and decided to make herself scarce, "I'm going to check out my room and make sure I have everything I need."

"Okay," Sonny nodded, kissing her cheek before she left the room.

"She's such a smart kid…" Alexis chuckled, "She's been around us long enough to know when you need to talk business."

"No…" Sonny shook his head, "I don't need to talk business."

"Really?" She raised a brow, inviting him to sit which he declined.

"I do need to talk to you, though, 'Lexis…" Sonny started, "Kristina told me Garrett left again last night."

"Yes," She nodded, drawing a deep breath as she crossed her arms, "He had to go back to New York to take care of some business but he's not going to be gone long."

"Did you talk to him before he left?"

Alexis nervously cleared her throat, "What… what do you mean?"

"Garrett… did he talk to you?"

"Of course he talked to me…" Alexis scoffed, "Why wouldn't he?"

"Did he say why he had to leave?"

"Sonny..." Alexis' tone was warning, "What are you talking about?"

"Alexis, you need to know something about Garrett," He started.

"I don't know if I want to hear this." She sighed, turning away towards the fireplace.

"Why? Did he tell you something?" Sonny looked at her curiously, observing her turn around abruptly and throw up her hands.

"No, he didn't tell me. What? What now?" She could feel her heart pounding in her chest. She had a feeling that something was going on and who better than to find out than Sonny.

"Alexis, he might be in trouble," His voice was low and calm as he walked a little closer to her. "I spoke to him yesterday and he said he was going to talk to you but when Kristina told me he left… I just" He took a deep breath, "I know it's not my place, Alexis…"

"You know, it's funny you should use those words because I asked him that very question yesterday and he said that everything was fine…"

"He didn't tell you…" Sonny sighed at the realization.

"What didn't he tell me?" She narrowed her eyes, running a hand through her hair, "What do you mean, in trouble?"

"Did you ever look into what happened to him all those years ago? When you got pregnant with Sam and he disappeared."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"I'm just… I'm just wondering." Sonny shrugged, pushing back his suit jacket as he rested his hands on his hips. He watched as she prepared to explain.

"I, uh…" She began to pace past him, "I looked into it. Actually, Sam looked into it. That's how she found him." Alexis turned to face Sonny again, "But she found him… and things happened so quickly that we never really figured out what it was that happened all those years ago and I never asked."

"You never asked?" Sonny raised a brow.

"No, Sonny… I didn't, but something tells me that you did." She inhaled deeply once again, "And why would you do that?"

"I got a strange feeling, that's all." He shrugged, hands still resting on his hips.

"A strange feeling about what?" Alexis locked eyes with him before quickly raising her eyebrows to urge him on.

"Didn't you think it was a little strange that Garrett just up and went to New York without much explanation?"

"I trust him, Sonny…" She looked away, "He doesn't need to explain every detail of every movement to me…"

"Alexis, come on…"

"Yes, okay?" She confessed as she looked back to him, "Yeah… I did think that it was strange. And it does make me uncomfortable and now I'm starting to feel like I have every reason to be uncomfortable. So what did you find out?"

"I had someone look into it for me and they came up with a few old news paper articles and information from the old public records in New Jersey. From what I can gather, Garrett's father was a detective that was involved in a big mob infiltration in the late 1970's." He watched as Alexis face paled, "Apparently, right before you met him they had gone into hiding from the mob after a stand-off that went bad. The government staged a car fire on the highway and declared both Gerard and his father, John, dead."

"He… he never mentioned anything…" She looked away, swiping a hand through her hair once again as she rested against the back of the sofa with her arms still firmly across her body.

"They came to New Hampshire in mid 1979, after their supposed deaths to try and hide out there while the government figured out what to do with them…"

"It was June…" Alexis stated almost to herself but then looked up at Sonny's intent gaze and cleared her throat, "He came to Portsmouth in June. He, um… he left in late August."

"That's when they moved to Manhattan, Gerard changed his name to Garrett and his father has been in hiding ever since."

Alexis' eyes widened, "Garrett's father is alive?!"

"Nobody knows…" Sonny wanted to assure her that the secrets that Garrett was keeping were not of his own choice, "He had to keep it all a secret for all these years for his own safety but… now…"

"Now, what?!" Alexis stood.

Sonny watched her and suddenly noticed she looked like she was running a marathon, "Alexis… are you all right?"

"Yes, Sonny…" She responded sternly, "I'm fine. Please finish what you were saying…"

"The families are retaliating." Sonny finished with a sigh, placing his hands to his hips, "They figured out that Garrett's father is alive and they may know who Garrett really is… it's only a matter of time before they find them and I don't know what happens then."

"He told me everything was fine," She looked around nervously, placing a hand on the back of the sofa to steady herself, "I asked him if he was in any trouble and he said no…"

"Alexis, I wanted him to be the one to tell you about this…"

"Oh my God… Sonny…" Alexis' face was full of terror as she took a seat on the edge of the sofa, "Sonny, Garrett left in such a hurry last night… what if…"

Sonny met her eyes when she looked to him wearily, "I don't know, Lex… that's why I knew I needed to tell you… You and the girls and Danny… you could be in danger and…" He stopped short when she broke their gaze and he noticed beads of sweat were forming on her forehead, "Alexis?"

"I'm all right…" She struggled, waving him off but she was clearly not all right.

Sonny took a seat on front of her on the coffee table, watching her put a hand to her chest as it heaved, "Alexis? What's going on? Can you breathe?"

"Sonny… I'm…" She couldn't finish, as she was taken over by a labored breath and her now damp hair was sticking to her forehead.

"Alexis! I'm calling an ambulance…"

"No… just…. My inhaler…" She pointed to her purse, "Just get…"

Sonny looked to where she was pointing and quickly got up to retrieve it. He brought it back to her and immediately she used it, but it didn't appear to be helping. It was then that the front door opened.

"Gwamma!" Danny came bounding in the house excitedly until his face fell at what he saw. His mother came in close behind him.

"Danny…" Sonny tried to deflect the little boy but at Alexis' wheezing, he looked back to her, "Alexis I'm calling an ambulance."

"Hey…" Sam immediately spotted her mother, who was bent over her knees on the sofa, "Mom! Oh my God!"

"Sam…I…get Danny…" Alexis' face was white as a ghost and Sam got to the sofa just in time to catch her mother as she was about to fall forward.

"Oh my God, Sonny what the hell is going on!?" Sam screamed as Sonny put his phone to his ear.

"I don't know…" He focused on the phone, "I need an ambulance at 57 Lake Road… I have a woman here… she can't breathe… she looks like she's going to pass out..."

Danny stood in the middle of the room, staring intently as his mother held onto his now limp grandmother. His face was full of terror.

"Mom!" Sam was pleading, "Mom, can you hear me?!"

"I'm awake…" Alexis gripped her daughter's hand as she struggled to breathe, "I just… I can't…"

"The ambulance is on their way…" Sonny still held the phone to his ear as he joined Sam on the sofa and guided her to lay Alexis down on her left side, "they said to lay her down on her left side…" He stopped when Alexis' eyes opened.

"Mom!?" Sam shouted and her mother squeezed her hand but her eyes blinked slowly.

"Yes, she's awake…she's breathing very shallow but she's breathing." Sonny spoke into the phone.

Sam looked to Sonny watching as he listened to the 911 operator and tending to her mother, "Sonny… what happened?!"

"I don't know, Sam…" He was just as panicked as Sam was.

Kristina and Molly rounded the corner together and stopped short when they saw Danny frozen in the middle of the room.

"Hey Dan…" Kristina started and then noticed her sister and father huddled over her mother, "What…"

"Kristina… Molly..." Sam yelled, "Please take Danny to your room or something…"

"What's going on?!" Kristina panicked as she came over to the sofa and saw her pale and clammy mother lying on her side on the sofa, "Mom!"

Molly couldn't stop the tears as she scooped up Danny, "Come on, Danny…" She tried to compose herself, "Let's go to your room."

"Okay," Danny allowed his aunt to hug him close, his little lip quivering as he looked back over her shoulder, "Gwamma…"

Kristina brushed her mother's hair off of her forehead, "Mom… Mom, please look at me so I…"

"Kristina…" Alexis spoke her daughter's name through labored shallow breath in an effort to reassure her. There was no reassuring at this point. Her eyes blinked slowly and she looked at all of their worried faces. This is exactly what she never wanted to happen.


	15. Diagnosis

**A/N: ****Hi all! As always, I want to take a moment to thank all of you for reading and leaving your reviews. **

**And now... onto the next chapter ;) **

**Chapter 15:**** Diagnosis **

When they arrived in emergency a group of doctors and nurses were ready, as they wheeled Alexis into a cubicle, leaving Kristina to wait outside. It felt like hours, but it was only a few minutes before Sam, Molly, Danny and Sonny came rushing into the emergency area, the rest staying behind in the waiting area as Sam rushed over to Kristina.

"What's happening?" Sam tried to look but the curtain was completely closed.

"I don't know… they told me I couldn't be in there…" Kristina shook her head and tried to keep her tears at bay, "My God, Sam… what is wrong with mom?"

"I don't know Kristina…" She wrapped an arm around her, "How was she in the ambulance?"

"Sleeping…" She started, "Her breathing seemed to be improving. The paramedics kept asking me to talk to her to keep her awake but she couldn't open her eyes."

Sam and Kristina exchanged a worried look before a nurse came out of the cubicle and walked passed them.

"Umm… Nurse…"

She stopped and turned around, "Yes?"

"our mother is in there… can you please tell us what's going on."

"We're getting your mother stabilized. A doctor will be out to let you know when you can go in."

"Thanks…"

In the waiting area, Sonny took a seat beside Molly who was holding Danny's hand as he sat in the chair next to her, silently, kicking his legs back and forth, "Hey…"

"Hi, Uncle Sonny." The minute she opened her mouth to speak, tears began rolling down her cheeks.

Sonny wrapped an arm around her, "Molly… you're doing so well trying to keep Danny calm."

"Yeah," She whispered only in her uncle's direction, "I'm so scared."

"I know you are… but your mom is strong… she is the strongest person I know and she will get through whatever this is, okay?"

Molly nodded as she rested her head against her uncle's chest, while still holding tightly to Danny's hand.

"I'm going to go see if your sisters found anything out… are you two okay here?" Sonny waited for her response, which was a nod, "You sure?"

"Yeah… I'm sure." She stopped him as he was getting up, "please come back and let me know how my mom is."

"Of course I will…"

Sam and Kristina were still standing outside of the cubicle when Sonny made his way over to them, "Any news?"

"No…" Sam shook her head, "The nurse said that a doctor would…"

Just then, the curtain opened and a doctor appeared with a chart in his hands, "Are you Ms. Davis' family."

"Yes," Kristina nodded.

"She's stable… She's quite fatigued and resting but you can go see her now." The doctor started, "Only two at a time, please. We will try to get her moved to her own room as quickly as possible."

"She's being admitted?" Sam asked.

"Yes," The doctor nodded, "We're going to have to do some tests and figure out why this happened. A doctor will be in to explain further."

"Okay, thank you…" Sam nodded as she and Kristina carefully pulled back the curtain, their mother's eyes opening at the sound of their arrival.

"I'm sorry…" Alexis immediately apologized, her voice barely a whisper.

"Mom, come on!" Sam countered as she arrived at the side of her mother's bed and took her hand, "You have nothing to be sorry for."

"I… scared you." She finished, her breath still uneasy.

"Yeah," Kristina nodded from where she stood on the other side of her mother's bed, brushing the hair away from the face, "But it wasn't your fault. We're just so glad that you're okay."

Alexis smiled softly, nodding, "Where's Molly?"

"She's out in the waiting room with Danny…" Sam answered.

"Danny…" Alexis closed her eyes for a moment, "Is he okay?"

"He's okay, mom…" Sam was a little confused, "He's perfectly fine."

"He walked in…" She closed her eyes as she took a deep breath, "I didn't want him to see."

"Mom…" Kristina looked carefully at her mother, "What happened?"

Sam watched her mother look away and could tell she was trying to think of the words to explain to them what happened. She could tell that she knew. Sam didn't want to make her struggle, "Mom… It's okay. The doctor will be in and he'll explain everything. Why don't you just rest for right now, okay?"

"Okay," Alexis nodded slowly, closing her eyes for a moment. She squeezed Kristina's hand before looking back at her with a smile, "I'm sorry... this is not how you were planning on spending your last few hours at home."

"Well, I'm not going anywhere until I know that you are okay," Kristina was serious and both Sam and Alexis knew that.

"Ms. Davis?"

They all turned to find a doctor entering.

Alexis cleared her throat before responding, "Yes, Doctor Cramer, hello."

"Hello," The doctor greeted Sam and Kristina as they continued to sit on each side of their mother.

"These…" Alexis paused, drawing a breath, "Are my daughters, Sam and Kristina."

"Nice to meet you," He nodded to both, shaking their hands, "If you both wouldn't mind, I would like to examine your mother before she is moved to her room."

"Sure…" Sam looked to Kristina who nodded before leaning down to kiss her mother's cheek, "We'll be right outside."

Kristina followed her sister in the sentiment, "I love you."

"Love you too, sweetie." Alexis reassured them with a smile as they headed out, "Please… tell Molly… and Danny… I'm fine, okay?"

"Okay…" Sam nodded, looking at the doctor skeptically before disappearing behind the curtain.

Alexis shifted her eyes to Dr. Cramer who stood before her, taking a pulse from her wrist, "Dr. Cramer, I would prefer if we could discuss my condition in private…"

"You still haven't told them?" He answered flatly as he raised her bed into more of a sitting position, "Don't you think they are going to wonder what this was about?"

"I am going to…" She started as he maneuvered her to sit up further in order to listen to her chest.

"Deep breaths please…" The doctor instructed as he listened to her breaths before allowing her to sit back in the bed. He studied the monitor and looked at the paper that was feeding out of the bottom, "Have you been taking all of your medications as prescribed?"

"Yes," She nodded, watching with just her eyes as he pulled a stool closer to the bed and sat down. She felt like all she had the energy to do was move her eyes and breathe.

"Seems what you experienced was an episode of acute respiratory distress," The doctor sighed as he watched her acknowledge his statement, "As I'm sure you already know, I'm going to need to admit you so that we can figure out the right drug combination to keep this from happening."

"Why did it happen?" Alexis' voice was soft and tired.

"It could have been for a number of different reasons. Seeing as how you are on a prescribed fluid reducer, I would expect that something like this wouldn't occur. Stress can bring it on as it increases heart and blood pressure to levels that the heart is not able to keep up."

"Stress is really my enemy, huh?" She smirked as she continued to struggle to keep her eyes open.

"It is," The doctor smiled back, placing his hand over hers in reassurance, "We'll figure this out, Ms. Davis." He stood as she nodded, "I'm going to have the nurse take you to your room. And I'll let your family know they can come in now."

"Thank you," Alexis watched him walk away, "Umm.. Dr.."

"Yes?" He turned.

"Do you think you would be able to explain this to my family?"

"Sure," He nodded, "I will be up once you are settled in your room upstairs."

"Thanks…" She closed her eyes once he nodded and left the room, closing the curtain behind him. Her rest was short-lived when the curtain opened again, this time Molly was slowly walking in, "Hi, baby…"

"Mom…" Molly immediately start crying as she rushed to her mother's side and carefully wrapped her arms around her, "I'm so sorry…"

"What?" Alexis wanted to comfort her but she couldn't muster up enough energy to give her daughter the reassurance she needed.

"Are you okay?" The young girl leaned back and studied her weak mother.

"I'm okay, sweetheart…" Alexis ran a hand along her daughter's cheek, "I'm okay."

They were interrupted when Sam and Kristina re-entered the room.

"Hey…" Sam smiled, "The doctor said we could come back in…"

"Good," Alexis drew a deep breath, "I um, I need to talk to all three of you."

"Okay…" Kristina looked nervously between her sisters and her mother.

Alexis looked past them, "Where's Danny?"

"With Sonny…" Sam answered, "They're waiting for Monica… she's going to take him to the cafeteria for some ice cream."

"Okay… umm… Why don't you all come here and sit for a minute."

"Mom…" Kristina was getting more nervous by the second, "What's going on?"

"I need to tell all three of you something," She paused drawing a breath, "But you need to listen and let me finish before you make any assumptions, okay?"

"Okay…" Sam nodded, answering for all three of them as she gave her sisters a knowing glance.

"You know that I've been having anxiety attacks..." The girls nodded and she drew a deep breath as she tried to situate herself as to be more alert for the conversation, "I went to the doctor for them to try and find out why all of a sudden I was having these episodes."

"Is that what happened today?" Molly spoke up and her mother grasped her hand.

"No, sweetie. The doctor ran some tests….and, um… " Alexis drew another deep breath, looking intently at the young hand that rested in hers before readdressing her daughters with a smile, "…And it turns out I have a heart condition."

"A heart condition?" Sam immediately reiterated.

"Uh… yes…" Alexis cleared her throat and drew another labored breath, "I, um… apparently the chemotherapy that I received for my lung cancer did some damage to my heart."

"You've had it for this long?" Kristina's eyes were wide and filled with tears.

"I didn't know… I just thought, I don't know… a lung cancer survivor would have a little trouble breathing…" She shrugged, "Listen, I'm not a doctor so I can't tell you all of the details but I wanted to tell you a little bit of what was going on before I was moved to a room in the cardiac unit and you were all wondering why."

"But you're okay, though…" Sam's voice was low, "I mean, they can take care of this with medication."

"Yeah… I've been prescribed a few different medications but the doctor is going to figure out the right combination while I am here, now, so that this doesn't happen again."

"Ms. Davis?" A nurse poked her head through, causing Kristina and Molly to turn, but Sam kept her gaze intently on her mother, "I'm here to prep you to move upstairs."

"Okay," Alexis smiled and squeezed Molly's hand, "I'm okay…"

Molly didn't say a word, instead she wrapped her arms around her mother again, "I love you, mom."

"I love you too, baby… Hey," She got her attention as she cupped her face with her hand, "I'm only going upstairs you're going to see me in five minutes." She watched her young daughter nod before leaving the room alone.

"I'm going to go with her…" Kristina leaned and kissed her mother, "See you in a little bit.'

"Yes, honey… thanks…" She winked to Kristina and watched as she left.

"Mom…" Sam lowered her gaze to her mother as they both watched the nurse bustle around her bed.

"I'm all right," Alexis nodded in reassurance that was lost on her daughter.

"Why didn't you say something?" She studied her mother carefully, "Were you ever planning on telling us?"

"I was, Sam…" She paused, taking in a cleansing breath, "I was, but I just didn't want to worry you. I didn't want to see you looking at me like this."

"I'm sorry, but mom… this is serious. I know that you're trying to make light of it around Molly and Kristina but If we didn't call an ambulance when we did… if we weren't there."

"You were there," Alexis reminded, squeezing Sam's hand, "Speaking of which, I would really like to talk to Sonny. Can you send him in here…?"

"We're going to move you now, Ms. Davis." The nurse smiled as another orderly entered and the began to wheel the bed out of the cubicle.

"Oh, okay…" Alexis smiled as Sam leaned over and kissed her mother's cheek again, "I'll see you upstairs!"

"Yeah…" Sam forced a smile and watched her mother be wheeled away while still holding her hand, "Wait…"

Alexis shifted her eyes back to her daughter who enveloped her in a hug. She closed her eyes and fought back the tears, "I'm okay…"

"I love you." Sam's voice was muffled in her mother's shoulder.

"I love you, too, baby." Alexis sniffled, "I'm fine, okay? Fine…"

"Okay…" Sam nodded forcing herself to put on a brave face as they wheeled her mother beyond the curtain and out of sight. She took a deep breath and pulled her phone from her back pocket and immediately dialed.

Garrett couldn't believe the disaster he was looking at, papers and files were a strewn all over his father's dark office and the man himself seemed more unglued than he had in years.

"Pop… sit down…" Garrett looked at him over the top of his glasses where they rested on the end of his nose as he leafed through the papers and tried to determine what was missing.

"I can't sit down…" The older man paced, "I can't believe this happened…"

It was never the life that either of them wanted for his father but it was the only option. It wasn't until he had aged in recent years that they found it to be safe for him to go out and not be recognized. It wasn't one hundred percent safe, but it was safer than it had been. A life of hiding was no life at all. John Moreau deserved to be able to live just as all other law abiding civilians were able to. He was a good man, he did nothing to deserve the life, but he had it nonetheless.

"Where were you, Pop?" Garrett questioned as he continued to flip through the papers and attempt to organize them.

John put his hands in his pockets, while looking out the window, "I, um… I just went out… Got a cup of coffee and the newspaper. Just as I do almost every day."

"Did anyone see you?"

"I don't know, Gerard…" John shot back but retreated as quickly as he exploded, "I'm sorry, son. I'm just… a little uneasy, here."

"I know, dad…" His son sighed, looking away from the papers momentarily, "I'm trying to think what was in these files but I can't remember everything…"

"I don't expect you to…" John responded as he leaned against the large dark finished wood desk, "Listen, son… I, um… I'm sorry you had to come back here.."

"I know…" Garrett took his glasses off and addressed his father, "It's all right. I would never want anything to happen to you. We're going to get this figured out…"

"Yeah…" His father nodded as he folded his arms and watched Garrett go back to the pile of papers. When he reached back into the drawer, he pulled out a small envelope labeled _Important_. "Gar…"

"What was in here?" Garrett questioned his father before pulling out a sturdy square piece of paper. Once he turned it over he was surprised at what it was, a 4x6 photo of Sam and Danny. He looked up at his father curiously, "Where'd you get this?"

"You…" John smiled small, keeping his arms crossed as he rested against the desk, "I, uh… it must've fallen out of your briefcase of something… I found it near your things before you left last."

"So you just took it?" Garrett raised a brow before chuckling to his father, "Well, I mean you could have just asked for a picture. I would have given it to you." He watch as his father broke their gaze, looking towards the floor.

"How… uh…" John looked up and met eyes with his son once again, "How are they?"

"Sam and Danny?: Garrett questioned and then smiled when his father nodded, "They are great, Pop. Really great."

"And Alexis?" John watched Garrett's expression changed slightly.

"She's doing well…" Garrett smiled, "She's a wonderful woman. All three of them… they're the best thing that ever happened to me."

"I hope you know…" John started as he met eyes with his son, "I hope you know how happy I am for you…and how proud. You've really stepped right up and become a great father… and grandfather…"

"Thank…" Garrett paused, shaking his head, "Thank you. That means… that means a lot to me."

"I wish I could meet them some time…" John wiped his eye and if Garrett didn't know better, he would have thought his father was getting emotional.

"Maybe you will, pop." Garrett reassured softly, "Maybe we can figure this out. Maybe we can finally be free of all of this hiding and danger…"

"I hope so, son… I really do…" John's weary voice was interrupted by Garrett's cell phone ringing.

"Oh!" He exclaimed as he pulled it from his pocket before putting it to his ear, "Speaking of… Hi, Sam."

_"Hey… um… I'm sorry, are you busy? I need to talk to you…" _

"No…" Garrett furrowed his brow before standing from his seat. He could hear in her voice that it wasn't just a social call, "What's up? What's wrong?"

_Sam took a deep breath, "It's mom…" _


	16. Reassurance

**A/N: Hi all! As always, going to take a moment to thank all of you readers for your continued interest! **

**Read on, my friends! Oh, and don't forget to review ;) **

**Chapter 16**

Alexis lay in the hospital bed with her eyes focused on the television as she flipped through channel after channel without finding much of anything to watch. She was finally able to rest for a little while, after sending the girls back to the house to bring her some things. They were hovering, but it was a cautious hover. The doctor had come in after they left and let her know that he would be back around dinner time and he could explain her condition to her family. She was grateful for that, the doctor seemed to be a good man and a knowledgeable one.

She was trying to stay calm, knowing what the stress was capable of she didn't want to disrupt her body, but she couldn't help but be worried. Garrett was in New York taking care of his "business" and it was undoubtedly related to whatever these mob affiliations were that Sonny was telling her about. She was downright scared, but she trusted Garrett… she trusted his intellect and she just hoped that he would do the right thing, the safe thing. She would feel better once she spoke to him… although, he wasn't the only one that had been keeping secrets.

She sighed as she turned off the television and turned her gaze out the window to the late afternoon sun that was casting a shadow out her window. This wasn't where she wanted to be… and she hoped that they would figure out everything soon so that she could go home and go on with her life. One thing she knew for sure, no matter how much time she may have, she didn't want to spend it in the hospital.

Her thoughts took a back seat when there was a knock at the door and Kristina's face peeked through the window, "Come in, honey…"

"Hey…" Kristina smiled, "You look better! How do you feel?"

"I feel better," Alexis nodded with a smile as she sat her bed further upright, "Did you get my tablet?"

"Yes, mom… I got your tablet. You know that you don't need to be working while you are in the hospital right?" Kristina rolled her eyes as she handed the flat rectangular item to her mother and set the rest of the bags on the window seat.

"I know, but I'm so bored…" Alexis whined, "It's terrible in here. I'm not going to sit and watch I Love Lucy reruns all night."

"You love that show!"

"Okay, I do… but still…." Alexis chided, looking around again, "My glasses?"

"Right here…" Kristina chuckled as she handed her mother the glasses and took a seat by her bed, "Were you able to sleep?"

"Yes, I was…" She smiled, cupping her daughter's cheek with her hand, "I truly feel a lot better. And I think I must be getting rid of this fluid because I've gotten up at least ten times to go to the bathroom."

"That's great!" Her daughter enthused as she handed her a few magazines, "I brought these…"

"Oh, Kristina…" Alexis flipped through them and rolled her eyes, "I don't want to read Cosmo!"

"Mom, come on… I know you always read Sam's old ones after she throws them in the trash…"

"You're a snoop, you know that?" Her mother raised a brow and they both chuckled before the door opened again revealing Sam, "Hi, there!"

"Hey…" Sam's voice was weary as she stopped in the doorway and held it open, "Come on…"

"What's wrong?" Alexis sat up further to look and found Danny standing in the doorway with wide eyes.

"Danny, come on. Come inside…" Sam tried to urge him in and he continued to stand in the doorway, frozen. She took his hand and met his worried eyes as she guided him.

"Hi, sweetheart!" Alexis watched with a smile as Danny carefully entered the room, holding tight to his mother's hand.

"Hi," Danny's voice was quiet as he looked at her intently from the end of the bed, still gripping onto his mother's hand.

Sam looked between her mother and her son before she bent to Danny's level, "You know what I think will make Grandma feel so much better?"

Danny said nothing, shifting his eyes to lock with his mom's.

"I think a big hug from you is just what she needs," Sam ruffled his hair as he turned back to look at his grandmother. "Can you do that?"

As Danny nodded, a single tear fell from his eye where they had been welled since his arrival. He slowly trailed behind his mother as she held his hand and guided him to the side of the bed before lifting him up and setting him on his knees.

"My sweet boy…" Alexis couldn't help but frown when she noticed the trace of tears on the little boy's cheeks before she wiped them with the back of her hand, "Don't cry, sweetheart. I'm okay." Danny nodded but his quivering lip showed how he was really feeling. She held out her arms, "Come here, honey. Let me hold you…"

Alexis closed her eyes when the little boy succumbed to her offer and practically fell into her arms, wrapping his own tightly around her midsection. She heard his erratic breathing and could feel the warm tears soaking her hospital gown, "Shh…shh. Oh, my poor boy. I'm so sorry…"

Sam's heart broke as she watched her son cling to his grandmother. She had been so preoccupied with worrying about her mother that she hadn't realized how distraught Danny was by what had happened. When her mother opened her eyes from the embrace, she looked to her with tears of her own.

"You know what?" Alexis lightened her voice, but Danny continued to press his head to her shoulder, "I heard that you had some ice cream with Grandma Monica today?"

Sam and Kristina exchanged glances when Danny didn't respond to their mother's comment, only continued to hold tight to their embrace.

"Danny… why don't you come here and sit on mommy's lap so you can talk to grandma?" Sam questioned as she sat in the chair next to her mother's bed.

"Nuh-uh." Danny protested, his little voice muffled from where he pressed his face into her chest.

Alexis eyed her daughter and nodded, "You know… I'm really thirsty, do you think you girls could get me come ice water?"

"Sure…" Kristina glanced between her mother and her sister who rose to join her, "Come on, Sam… Danny, are you thirsty, too?"

"Mm-mm," He blue eyes shifted to look up at his aunt

"Okay…"

"Are you sure…" Sam asked her mother as she gestured to Danny.

"Yeah," Alexis nodded, "Go ahead… just give us a minute."

"Okay…" Sam slowly followed Kristina out of the room, waiting for another reassuring nod from her mother before she exited completely.

"Danny…" Alexis started, unable to get a response, "Sweetheart, can you sit up please, so I can talk to you?"

"No," He continued to keep his arms gripped to her sides.

Alexis closed her eyes for a moment in an attempt to relieve the burning threat of tears that was constant, "Baby, I'm so sorry I scared you. But it's okay, now. I'm getting better… It'll be okay."

"Not okay…" He replied softly, never ceasing to move from his post.

"It _is_ okay…" She reassured, tilting her head to look at him, "Would I lie to you?"

"But," Danny finally lifted his head and revealed his bloodshot eyes, "Yuh still sick…"

"I am, but I'm getting better," Alexis smiled softly as she wiped his tears and struggled to stop her own, masking them with a smile, "Come on… no more tears, okay?"

"I don't wan' you to be sick…" His little voice was quiet as he avoided eye contact, playing with the fabric of her gown.

"I know, honey…" Her heart broke and she couldn't help but hold him close again, "I don't want to be sick, either..."

"We gonna cahve punkins...?"

"We sure are," she smiled, kissing his head as he snuggled close to her chest.

"You gonna comed home?" He looked up at her again, his eyes wide and almost frightened.

"Yes, Danny, I'm going to come home," Resting her cheek against the top of his head, she took a deep breath, "I love you so much, my sweet little boy."

"Yub you too, gwamma," Danny replied, hugging his little arms around her waist again.

* * *

Sam and Kristina were taking their time getting the ice water for their mother, knowing she probably didn't even want it to begin with. Sam felt so guilty for not paying closer attention to how Danny may have been feeling, but Kristina was quick to assure her. Noting Molly's absence, they both agreed that maybe they should have paid a little closer attention to their sister as well, and decided their quest for water would be better spent if they could find Molly. Find her they did, seated in a small waiting area in the corner of the floor. She was by herself, sitting hugging her knees with her head rested atop them. Kristina thought it best that Sam approach her.

"Hey… Molly…" Sam watched when Molly's head shot up and immediately tears sprang to her eyes.

"Oh, no…" The young started, terror all over her face.

"Molly… Molly… it's okay…" Sam reassured as she took a seat beside her sister and engulfed her in her arms, "It's okay. Mom's fine… we were worried about you. We didn't know where you went!"

"I'm fine…" It was clear that she wasn't.

"Molly, honey, please talk to me…" Sam leaned back so that she could have a clear view of her sister's face. "Molly, mom's going to be okay…"

"Sam, please…" Molly shook her head and she could not stop her tears from falling until she finally noticed her sister and she was panicked, "Where… where's Danny?"

"He's fine, Mol.." Sam smiled, trying to calm her sister, "He's with mom right now… they, um… they needed some time together."

"He was so scared, Sam…" Molly shook her head as Kristina joined them, sitting on the opposite side of her, "I mean… he wasn't crying… he just…"

"Hey… Molly…" Kristina soothed as she ran a hand along her sister's hair, "Danny is okay. We were all scared… and I think you need to talk about this…"

"I'm fine." She asserted, "I don't need to talk about anything."

"Mol…" Sam started, grasping her sister's hand, "I don't want you to bottle this up. The only way we're going to get mom through this… whatever it is… is if we lean on eachother."

"What is it, Sam?" She looked her sister in the eyes, "Do we even know? Mom could be dying and we don't have a clue…"

"Molly… come on, she's not dying…" At least Kristina hoped that she wasn't, but Molly was right… they didn't know much.

"Please, Mol… just sit here and talk for a minute. You need to talk it out… we all do…"

"I don't," Molly shook her head, standing up suddenly and disappearing around the corner.

"There she goes…" Sam sighed as she slumped into the chair, "I don't know what to do."

"She's like mom…" Kristina reminded, "She needs to be alone until she calms down and then she will talk. We just have to be there when she's ready."

"I know," Sam smiled to her sister, hugging her shoulders, "Krissy… are you sure it's okay for you to stay… I don't want you to get in any trouble with your job."

"It's fine," Kristina nodded, "I'm not going anywhere until we know that mom is okay."

"She's going to be okay, Krissy…" Sam reassured, "Mom has made it through so much… she will make it through this."

"How fair is that, though, you know?" Kristina crossed her arms and turned to face her sister, "Why does mom always get the short end of the stick? She's already been through so much… can't she cut a break?"

"I know, Krissy…" Sam sighed, "I don't know why. I guess it's just part of life."

"Not everyone's life…" The younger girl responded, looking away.

"Kristina…" Sam reached out to her sister but she resisted.

"Have you ever thought…" She paused, meeting eyes with Sam, "Do you regret… you know, like…"

"Yeah," Sam nodded as she kept her focus on her sister, "All the time…"

"I just…" She stopped for a moment, breaking her gaze to look away and avoid the emotions that she knew were coming, "I just have put mom through so much. I was so terrible to her when I was younger… and then I moved away…"

"Kristina… you didn't do anything to mom!" Sam placed a hand to her sister's arm, "You didn't know… you were a _kid_. "

"No, I wasn't, Sam…" Kristina shook her head and wiped a tear, "I was fully aware… I just didn't care. I had no idea how good I had it. All that I did was complain and blame mom for everything… telling her what a terrible mother she was for pushing us so hard, but Sam… if it wasn't for mom…"

Sam stopped her sister by wrapping her arms around her, "Kristina... you can't beat yourself up about the past, you just can't do it. Have you forgotten the hell that you went through as a teenager? Stuff happens, Kristina, and the important thing is that you learn from it, right?"

"Yeah." She was crying now, as she rested her head over her sister's shoulder, "I just… I can't imagine how she felt then…how I made her feel."

"Hey…" Sam pulled away, looking her sister in the eyes, "We all have done things that we regret… especially when it comes to mom. And she's had her fair share of regrets, too… but, now…. Now we just need to focus on her and each other. We love her and she knows that. Now is our time to be there for her and help her through this one hundred percent."

"Yeah," Kristina nodded, wiping her tears and taking a deep breath, "Um… I'm going to go call the airport and cancel my flight. I should probably make a few other calls, too."

"Okay," Sam smiled, patting her sister's arm, "I'll go take a look around for Molly."

Kristina watched as Sam rose from her seat, "Sam…"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks…" She watched Sam tilt her head adoringly, "I love you so much."

"I love you, too, little sister," Sam gave her a warm smile before disappearing around the corner.


	17. Confessions

**A/N****: Happy Saturday! **

**There's been a few technical questions about when the story takes place. We started on Alexis' birthday which was October 2nd of 2015. Danny is 3 1/2; Molly- 17 turning 18; Kristina 22. It has been two years since Sam tracked Garrett down. **

**Hopefully that clears things up for you. :) Read, review, and be merry! **

**Chapter 17: Confessions**

Sonny had been standing outside of her room for the better part of a half hour, sometimes leaning against the wall, sometimes gazing in the window and waiting for her eyes to open. He couldn't disturb her and Danny… they looked so peaceful and after seeing the little boy's face when he walked in the house, he knew they needed each other.

He wasn't sure when the last time was that he felt guilt like he was feeling in that moment. If he had just kept himself out of somebody else's business this would have never happened. Maybe there was a reason why Garrett didn't tell her, a reason that Sonny wasn't privy to at the time. She probably would have been just fine being left in the dark. She certainly wasn't fine now.

When he once again approached the narrow window to look into the room, he was surprised to see Alexis' big brown eyes staring back at him. Had she seen him? He watched as she smiled softly and nodded, prompting him to enter.

"Hey…" He kept his voice at a whisper, noting the little boy comfortably resting his head on his grandmother's chest, eyes closed.

"Hi…" She whispered back.

"How are you?" Sonny stood by the bed, putting his hands in his pockets, obviously not comfortable.

"I'm okay…" Alexis replied, but by the sound of her voice she was tired.

"Listen… 'Lexis… I'm really sorry," Sonny's face was filled with remorse, "I shouldn't have…"

"You didn't do anything wrong, Sonny…I did."

"What?"

Alexis closed her eyes as she drew a breath before continuing, "I'm, uh… I'm sick…"

"Sick?" He looked at her intently before taking a seat in the chair beside her bed, "What did they say? What happened?"

"Acute Respiratory Distress," She stated plainly, before looking down to make sure that Danny was still sound asleep. She met eyes with Sonny, not sure exactly how she should approach it. There wasn't a good way, "I, um… it's…I have Congestive Heart Failure, Sonny…"

"Conges…" Sonny started, shaking his head in disbelief, "Alexis… what… how?"

"It seems that in the process of trying to rid my body of cancer… The chemo… it," She sighed, "It damaged my heart beyond repair so now, I have this."

"Heart failure, Alexis…" Sonny felt as if he'd been punched in the stomach, he couldn't imagine how she was feeling, "how do they fix this?"

"They don't," She smiled sadly, "It is manageable… apparently. I wouldn't know from what happened today."

"So you knew about this…before?"

"Yes." Alexis nodded, "That's why… I'm sorry… I should have told you, I should have told everybody. Instead I just scared everyone."

"Not for nothing, but I think we would have been scared whether we knew or not, you know?" Sonny raised a brow and they were both drawn to Danny who stirred, only to snuggle further in to his grandmother's chest.

Alexis kissed Danny's head, before resting her cheek atop it, "I know. I'm sorry…"

"Alexis, you don't need to be sorry… I just… I don't know what to say," Sonny shook his head, clasping his hands as he rested on his elbows, "What can I do for you?"

"Nothing, Sonny…" She smiled softly, "I'm just glad that you were there at the house when it happened… you called the ambulance in time, who knows what would have happened if you weren't there…"

"I'm the reason it happened in the first place."

"No, that's not true…" She shook her head, "The doctor said it was an imbalance of medication. That's why he's keeping me here… he wants to get things figured out under close observation." She sighed, "Listen, the girls… they don't know everything yet. The doctor said he would be in this evening and explain it to them. They just know that I have a heart condition…"

"Okay…" Sonny nodded, meeting her eyes for a moment, "Garrett?"

"No," She shook her head, dropping it almost shamefully.

"You need to…"

"I know," She nodded, "I know. I will. As soon as he gets back."

Sonny met her eyes for a moment before placing a comforting hand on her arm, "You're gonna be okay…" He watched as her eyes filled with tears, "You're the strongest person I know. You'll get through this."

Alexis nodded, sniffling back her tears, "Than… thank you, Sonny. That means… that means a lot to me."

"You mean a lot to me, Alexis…" Sonny felt his own eyes sting with tears.

"Please… don't…" She smiled softy watching as he nodded and did away with his emotion, "I can't… I can't watch people be sad over me. I just… that's the last thing that I want, okay?"

"I know."

"You're right. I'm going to be fine…" She nodded and smiled before they were both drawn to the door by a faint knock. Her face fell when she saw the guest through the window, "Garrett…"

"I'll, uh…" Sonny rose from his seat, "I'll go… and he can…"

"Yeah," Alexis sighed with a smile, "Sonny…" He turned, "Thank you."

Sonny nodded before opening the door and allowing Garrett to enter, "Garrett, hi…"

"Sonny," Garrett was clearly uneasy at their encounter and watched as Sonny walked past him. He turned back to Alexis with a sympathetic gaze, "Lex…"

"Hey…" She smiled softly, looking down to where Danny still slept on her chest. She turned back to Garrett, "Sam called you…"

"Yeah," Garrett nodded as he took a seat beside the bed, "And I'm damn glad she did."

"Garrett… I…"

"You tried to talk to me before I left…" He began, "You knew something was wrong then, didn't you?"

"Yes," She nodded, "I'm sorry… I should have…"

"No," Garrett shook his head and took her hand, "I didn't really give you a chance and I have things I should have told you, too."

Alexis broke their gaze to look down at the sleeping boy on her chest, "I know."

"What?"

"I know," She met his eyes, "Sonny… he told me…"

"I knew he would…" He shook his head. He was disappointed with himself. Sonny had said that he would tell Alexis about everything if Garrett didn't do it first. That should have been his first priority, "I didn't want you to find out that way."

"I know," She nodded softly, "But I did. And I would like to hear more about it from you…"

"And I am going to tell you…" He reassured as he continued to hold her hand in both of his, "The last thing that I want is to have anything between us and this is very important. But, Lex… I need to know what's going on with _you_. What happened?"

"I had… an episode."

"And? Sam said that she walked in the house and you were barely breathing…" He waited for her to object to his statement and say that Sam was exaggerating, but that didn't happen.

"It happened really fast… I didn't ignore anything… I just…"

"What…" He urged softly, "What happened?"

"Garrett, there's a lot I haven't told you…" She started.

"Yeah, well, that makes two of us…" He was clearly regretting the way he left things and what had happened since he left. Whatever it was that she was keeping from him, he couldn't very well blame her.

"I didn't tell you… or the girls… the whole truth about what happened when I went to the doctor for my anxiety attacks…" Alexis drew a deep breath, meeting Garrett's now worried eyes.

"Okay…" He nodded for her to continue.

"It's not anxiety… It's a little more serious than that…" She paused, "When I went for my initial visit, the doctor… she first wanted to rule out the cancer so I had a chest x-ray done…"

"No, Lex…" Garrett's face paled and she was quick to shake her head.

"It's not… it's not cancer. But, the x-ray showed some fluid retention in and around my lungs." She took a deep breath as Garrett watched her carefully, "I didn't know what that meant… I mean, I just thought maybe it was pneumonia or something. But they had me come back and have an EKG and when that came back positive… meaning, an abnormality…the doctor decided to then follow up with an echocardiogram…"

Garrett could hear everything she was saying but he couldn't believe it. He couldn't believe that all this time, Alexis was going through this and he had no idea.

"And then they were able to make the, uh…" She met his eyes, "The proper diagnosis."

"I can't believe…" He paused in realization, "When you were working late…"

"I wasn't," She answered, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have lied, I just…"

"So, what is it? What's going on with you, Lex?" Garrett focused.

"From what the doctors can gather… it's from the chemo I had for lung cancer." She draw a deep breath, focusing on Danny who was still sleeping soundly against her chest, "you see, so many patients don't live as long as I have in remission, so that there hasn't been enough data collected for the effects of chemotherapy on your other organs…"

"Alexis," He stopped her ramble, "What _is_ it?"

"Congestive Heart Failure," once she got the words out, she finally had the courage to look him in the eye.

"My god," Garrett looked down, "I should have… I'm sorry, Lex… I…"

"It's okay… how would you have known? I didn't tell you…" She smiled a little, watching as Garrett nodded and seemed to regain his own bearings, gripping her hand a little tighter.

"You're going to get through this. _We'll_ get through it, together, okay?" He raised his brow, waiting to be sure she trusted that he would be there for her.

"Yeah," She nodded, "Okay… Thank you… thank you for coming home so quickly, I'm sorry to take you away from…"

"Don't," He shook his head, "This is where I need to be."

Alexis felt the tears fill her eyes as she looked into his and could see the love within them. He loved her and he was going to be there for her in whatever way he could. Closing her eyes, she accepted the kiss that he leaned forward to place to her lips. It felt good. Like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She was going to get through whatever this brought her.

"Listen, Garrett… I need to know… are you in trouble?" She watched him carefully, "Are you in danger?"

"Lexie, I swear I'm going to tell you everything…" He started.

"Just please answer the question…"

"I'm not in danger… right now at least." He sighed, "I'm going to take care of it. I will tell you everything, but right now your health is my number one concern."

Alexis looked down as Danny stirred again, this time lifting his head to look at her tiredly.

"Gwamma." He rubbed his eye.

"Hello, my baby," She kissed his nose, "Look who is here…"

Garrett looked up to find Alexis smiling at their grandson, only to have the little boy turn to his direction, "Hey, bud."

"Papa," Danny yawned as he rested back on his grandmother's chest, "Yuh home now."

"Yeah…." He nodded and took Alexis' hand, "I'm home now."

They locked eyes for a moment before Alexis looked back to Danny, "I think Papa needs a hug." She watched as Danny's eyes widened when she looked up at him and back to Garrett while still staying firmly against her chest, "Danny?"

"Mmm-mm…" Danny resisted.

Garrett looked gave her a concerned looked and she shook her head.

"It's not you…" Alexis sighed, lowering her voice, "He… he got a little scared earlier…"

"Oh… oh, no…" Garrett's face fell, realizing Danny must have seen Alexis when the episode occurred.

"But it's okay now, right squishy?" Alexis forced some enthusiasm as she jostled him a little in an effort to lighten the mood, "Everything is better now, hmm?"

There was no response and no time to cajole as the door opened and an army seemed to enter with Sam, Kristina and Sonny… followed by none other than Dr. Cramer.

"Oh… hello…" Alexis smiled as the doctor entered and stepped past the group, "Dr. Cramer… this is my, um… this is Garrett… Sam's father."

"Hello…" Garrett looked between Alexis and the doctor before shaking his hand.

"Nice to meet you…" The doctor looked around, "If you all don't mind I'm just going to do a quick examination… it's been a few hours."

"Of course…" Sam nodded for the group as she stepped forward and held her hand out for Danny, "Come here, honey…"

"No," Danny's signature scowl formed as he gripped tighter to Alexis' midsection.

The doctor couldn't help but chuckle, "So, who is this young gentleman?"

"Can you tell the doctor your name?" Alexis spoke softly, watching as Danny's eyes shifted upward to meet the doctor's.

"Danny Mohgan," He replied quietly, but not without pride.

"Well, hello Danny Morgan," The doctor extended his hand, "I'm Dr. Cramer. How are you?"

"Good." Danny was still quiet and had yet to move an inch.

"Who is this?" The doctor pointed to Alexis and Danny gave him a strange look.

"My gwamma…?" Danny was confused, shouldn't the doctor know who she was?

"Oh, I see… Well, do you think it would be okay for me to just take a look at your grandma really quick and see how she's doing?"

"Yeah…"

"The only problem is, in order to do that, I'm going to need you to get up and stand with your mom over there… is that okay?" The doctor waited but Danny didn't respond, "As soon as I'm finished, you can come right back and sit with her, okay?"

It took a minute, but Danny finally decided it was okay and lifted his head from his grandmother's chest, taking his mom's hands from where she stood at the side of the bed. It was still obvious he wasn't completely comfortable with the situation.

"Um, Ms. Davis… you have another daughter, no?"

"Um… yes, I uh…" Alexis looked around before resting her gaze on Sam and Kristina, "Where's Molly?"

"She's um…"

"I'm right here." Molly forced a smile as she entered the room and joined her sisters. Sam smiled at her entrance and wrapped an arm around her.

The doctor finished listening through the stethoscope, "Okay… everything seems pretty stable."

"Good!" Alexis forced a bright smile, knowing her family needed to see that she was indeed going to be okay.

"Danny Morgan…" The doctor gestured to the bed and smirked as Danny let go of his mother's hand and quickly jumped back onto the bed, sitting comfortably in the crook of Alexis' arm.

"Good boy," Alexis praised before kissing the little boy's head.

"Okay, great," The doctor smiled around the room, "Now, let's talk a little bit about what's going on…"


End file.
